Teenager in MAGA hat ‘shot himself in the leg in fake kidnapping’ committed by 4 imaginary Hispanic men

Seventeen‑year‑old Caden Speight sent a message to his family claiming that he had been shot and abducted by four Hispanic men in a van following a reported shooting along SW Highway 484 in Dunnellon, Florida, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. An Amber Alert was quickly issued. He was last seen dressed in a T‑shirt, jeans, and wearing a MAGA hat, local media reported. His sister, Bailey Speight Clark, posted a desperate plea on Facebook, saying she was unable to sleep, eat, or rest without knowing whether her brother was safe.

The following day, Speight was located unharmed. However, on Monday the sheriff revealed a surprising turn: investigators concluded that the entire abduction claim was fabricated. According to Sheriff Billy Woods, Speight had purchased a bicycle, a tent, and camping supplies at a Walmart in Ocala, abandoned his truck on the highway, and then fled on the bike. To make the story appear credible, he is said to have shot himself in the leg with a handgun, leaving a non‑life‑threatening wound, before walking onto a road where he was seen by others. Authorities found only a single gunshot near the area where the truck was left, and hold that there is “zero chance” the wound came from any other party.

Because the search was funded by taxpayers, charges against Speight remain a possibility, the sheriff said. However, as of now, investigators have not interviewed him — his parents have not allowed law enforcement access. The sheriff also drew a parallel to a prior case in Alabama, where a woman who staged her own kidnapping was later convicted over two years afterward.

SOURCE: METRO