(WXMI) — Former Hudsonville football player Ethan Carter has been released from an Alabama hospital after being shot multiple times during what police say was an attempted gun purchase that turned into a robbery.
Carter, who was set to join Davenport University's football team in a few weeks, was in Birmingham, AL, for training.
"He'd go down there once or twice a month. I think maybe even since middle school, I'm not exactly sure when he started doing it. Just to develop and work to get better and stronger and faster," Hudsonville High School football coach Brent Sandee said.
Training in the South was one of the ways Carter grew into a three-year starter for the Eagles.
"He was a good player. Really fast kid, very strong, worked extremely hard in the off-season, relentless to the football. Just great pursuit, great effort all the time," Sandee said.
FOX 17 reached out to the Birmingham Police Department regarding the situation and was told the following:
On Saturday, July 12, 2025, East Precinct officers responded to a call of a person shot near Winchester Drive and Ridgewood Circle just before 6:00 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers observed an adult male victim on the ground suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Services transported the victim to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The preliminary investigation suggests that the victim arranged to meet with two individuals through a social media platform to purchase a Glock firearm. The encounter escalated into a robbery, during which the victim was shot and his vehicle was stolen.
At this time, no arrests have been made. This is an ongoing investigation.
The Birmingham Police Department strongly urges the public to never purchase firearms off the street or through social media platforms. These types of transactions are among the most dangerous and often result in violence. For your safety and the safety of others, always use legal and licensed dealers when acquiring a firearm.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the BPD Robbery Unit at 205-254-1753 or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
Carter is expected to make a full recovery.
"He loves the sport of football. I think for him to still have that on the table for him to be healthy enough to do anything, right? Is miraculous," his coach said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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