A Winter Springs High School basketball player was shot in the head while he slept in his bed early Monday morning.

  • Winter Springs High basketball player shot while sleeping
  • Shaun Merrill Jr. shot in head, underwent surgery
  • Investigators looking at surveillance video from nearby

According to Sanford Police, a vehicle thought to be involved in a drive-by shooting, left the area of Little Fox Avenue in Sanford moments after shots rang out.

Shaun Merrill Jr., 16, was found shot in his bed when his father went to check on him after the shooting.

Merrill was hospitalized in stable condition. Merrill's father said his son survived surgery and was recovering from the shooting.

"I don't know what happened. I was sitting in the house and everyone was sleeping, and then I hear gunshots," father Shaun Merrill said.

Several people living off Little Fox Avenue in Sanford woke up to gunfire and began taking cover.

“I was laying down and I just heard this pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop and I had just hit the floor,” said one resident in a call to 911.

Sanford Police said surveillance video from a home nearby shows one car slowly driving by the home, and then another stop in front of it.  Police have not released the video publicly.

The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office said even before the shooting, the county has had to respond the residence five other times just since the end of April. One of those times was for a family disturbance, another last month was for battery, and three others were for unspecified disturbances.

When asked about these incidents, the father would not elaborate as to what they were about.  As to what led to the shooting, Sanford Police would only say their investigation so far leads them to believe the shooting was an isolated incident.

Merrill said his son is a point guard on Winter Spring High School's basketball team. He said his son is a good kid and doesn't get into trouble.