Leo Bernal , 8 , is lucky to be alive after an intruder shot him in the head as he lay in bed at his home in Culver City , California , over the weekend . On Friday , five days after the shooting , the 8-year-old was released from the hospital with nearly two dozen medical staples holding his scalp together . 'My head kinda hurts right now , but I 'm OK with it , ' the brave boy said as he sat on a bench outside Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center . Scroll down for video . Miracle boy : Leo Bernal , 8 , was released from the hospital Friday , five days after he was shot in the head by an armed home intruder in California . Scarred : Doctors had to open the child 's skull to extract the bullet , leaving him with a partially shaved scalp and 23 staples . Terror in the night : Bullets pierced the wall of the bedroom where the 8-year-old and his 17-year-old brother were in bed at her home in Culver City . His head was partially shaved and marred by two long , stapled incisions . Speaking to NBC Los Angeles , Leo said he looks forward to playing sports again . 'They had to open up his skull and take it out , and now he has 23 staples , ' said his mother , Teresa Bernal . Police have asked the public 's help in finding the gunman who opened fire at around 11.55pm Sunday inside the boy ' home in the Del Rey neighborhood near Venice Beach . Traumatized : Teresa Bernal , Leo 's mother , said her son was scared to go back home . The boy had just been put to bed when his father heard the unlocked security door and front door open and thought it was his 20-year-old son returning , police said . Instead , a stranger wearing a hooded sweatshirt entered , exchanged a few words and then began shooting at and chasing the father , according to the family 's account . Bullets pierced the wall of the bedroom where the 8-year-old and his 17-year-old brother were in bed . The father told police he ran into the boy 's bedroom and tried to shield him as the gunman followed , still firing . 'It was a matter of seconds , just bam ! Bam ! Bam ! , ' Leo 's mother told the NBC station . 'Fourteen shots , all pointed into my kid 's room . ' The boy 's brother , parents and grandmother escaped unharmed . Detectives are seeking a motive for the attack . Meanwhile , Leo 's mother said Leo is scared to go home . 'Who wants to go back to that ? It 's like the nightmare , ' she said . 'My son [ has been ] crying about going home . He does n't want to go home . He 's horrified . ' The hospital offered the family a few free nights at a hotel and a pamphlet for social services , KNBC-TV reported . The family have set up a GoFundMe account to raise $ 50,000 towards Leo 's medical costs .
Leo Bernal , 8 , suffered gunshot wound to the head as he lay in bed in Culver City , California . Doctors had to open his skull to save his life , leaving him with nearly two dozen staples . Bernal 's mother say her son is not afraid to return home .