US Edition‘Red flags:’ Marion County Sheriff Says Teen Shot Himself in Amber Alert Ruse
The fabricated abduction triggered a statewide Amber Alert and multi-agency search; the teen shot himself and staged the incident, authorities said.
- On Friday evening, Marion County issued an Amber Alert for 17-year-old Caden Speight after alarming texts claiming abduction and injury.
- Speight's story raised suspicion due to witness contradictions and evidence showing he purchased camping supplies before the alerts.
- Investigators found evidence of a single gunshot near Speight’s abandoned truck and confirmed he carried a handgun and shot himself in the leg.
- Sheriff Woods said Speight’s story was "completely made up" and stressed there is "zero chance" the wound came from an assailant while investigations continue.
- Speight showed up in Williston with a minor leg injury after shooting himself, his parents have declined to let detectives question him, and authorities are still considering possible charges.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Missing Florida teen texted family that he got shot, was pursued by 4 Hispanic men — but cops say nothing was what it seemed
Law enforcement in Florida went into overdrive mode late last week when it was reported that 17-year-old Caden Speight was missing.The Marion County Sheriff's Office issued an Amber Alert Thursday night stating that Speight was last seen around 4 p.m. Thursday in the 12800 block of SW Highway 484 in Dunnellon, which is about an hour south of Gainesville.'Oh, dear Jesus, please bring this young man back to his family safe and unharmed.'The alert …
'MAGA hat-wearing teen shoots himself in the leg in fake kidnapping scheme'
(L) Yellow crime tape surrounds an abandoned truck. (R) Caden Speight smiles with his teeth showing in a headshot. (Picture: FOX 35 Orlando/Marion County Sheriff’s Office) A teenage boy seen donning a MAGA hat allegedly went so far as shooting himself in the leg to further his kidnapping that he fabricated. Caden Speight, 17, texted his family that he had been abducted by ‘four Hispanic men’ in a van after a shooting last week on SW Highway 484 …
Florida teen shot himself in the leg in elaborate abduction hoax: cops
Caden Speight, 17, was feared to be in grave danger when he suddenly vanished in Dunellon, north of Tampa, last Thursday -- with cops initially believing he could have been the victim of a shooting.
Florida Teen Admits To Staging Own Abduction, Shooting Himself In Elaborate Hoax
False Amber Alert Led to Massive Law Enforcement Response; Authorities Weighing Criminal Charges for Elaborate Hoax A massive, multi-agency search prompted by a false Amber Alert was called off late last week after authorities determined that a 17-year-old Florida boy had fabricated his own violent abduction story—and even shot himself to sell the hoax. The […] Florida Teen Admits To Staging Own Abduction, Shooting Himself In Elaborate Hoax
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