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Man accused of shooting at kids riding on ATVs in Longwood subdivision, police say

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Published  March 9, 2026 8:07pm EDT
Seminole County News
FOX 35 Orlando

The Brief

    • David Allen Mertle fired six shots at two kids on ATVs Saturday, police say.
    • Police said they were able to gather witness statements and evidence which led to Mertle's arrest.
    • Mertle faces two counts of aggravated assault and one firearm charge; he remains in custody without bond.

LONGWOOD, Fla. - A man was arrested Saturday after police say he fired multiple shots at two juveniles riding all-terrain vehicles in a Longwood neighborhood.

The arrest came after Longwood police officers responded to shots-fired in the Bay Meadow Farms subdivision on Saturday morning.

The backstory:

Initially, witnesses told police they thought heard fireworks going off around 10 a.m. 

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However, two kids told an adult relative that a man fired approximately six shots at them while they were riding on a power line easement west of the subdivision. Investigators said they later located a witness and collected physical and ballistic evidence supporting the juveniles’ account.

David Allen Mertle

Police identified the shooter as 36-year-old David Allen Mertle. He surrendered without incident and was arrested. 

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Mertle faces two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a third-degree felony, and one count of discharging a firearm in public or on residential property, a first-degree misdemeanor. 

The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Longwood Police Department.

Seminole County NewsCrime and Public SafetyLongwood