UAB freshman linebacker Allen Merrick has died after he suffered a gunshot wound on Thursday while visiting his home. Police in Gadsden, Alabama, are calling the incident an accidental shooting. Merrick passed away at UAB Hospital Friday morning. He was 19 years old.
Blazers coach Bill Clark released a statement Thursday after Merrick had been shot and admitted to the hospital.
"Please pray for the family of Allen Merrick, a young man who joined our UAB Football Family this season. Allen was visiting home in Gadsden yesterday when he suffered a gunshot wound," Clark said. "He is at UAB Hospital where I've been with Allen's family, but I do not have a condition I can share at this time. I ask that everyone please respect his family's privacy and keep them all in your prayers."
Other details of the incident have not yet been released.
Merrick was part of the Blazers' 2020 recruiting class. He was a standout athlete at Gadsden City High School and received offers from other programs like Missouri, Nebraska, Purdue and Tennessee. He played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game and was named Gadsden City's Defensive Player of the Year.
