Florida teen shot himself in the leg in elaborate abduction hoax: cops

A Florida teen feared to have been kidnapped by “four Hispanic men” last week actually faked his own abduction — and even shot himself in the leg to as part of the painful, elaborate hoax, authorities said.

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.

His disappearance triggered a desperate search and “amber alert” after authorities uncovered his abandoned car with evidence of a single gunshot close by, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.

Speight, who was reported to be wearing a MAGA hat at the time, was believed to have last been spotted in a light-colored van with four unidentified men, authorities said at the time — apparently relying on details the teen had texted his family.

Law enforcement searched for the teen overnight with a helicopter and checked local hospitals to no avail.

Speight’s distraught sister, Bailey Speight Clark, even posted an impassioned plea on Facebook for her brother’s return. “God I just want him home. I can’t sleep eat or do anything not knowing where he is and if he is safe. Please don’t stop searching or looking,” she wrote.

“There is still little to no information on what happened or where he could be. I don’t understand why this has happened. Just bring him home.”

Speight was eventually located on Friday — and now authorities have said he was never actually in danger but had made it all up in a twisted hoax.

“The initial details that Caden texted to his family, were proven to be false. Completely made up,” the sheriff’s office said.

“We did find evidence of a single gunshot where Caden left his truck. However, his claims that he had been shot and abducted were quickly disproven.”

The teen is believed to have fled on a bicycle in the moments after he claimed to have been kidnapped, the sheriff’s office said. He also purchased a tent and camping supplies .

“To continue the ruse, Caden, who had a handgun with him since the beginning of all of this, chose to shoot himself in the leg, causing a non-life-threatening injury just prior to walking out to the roadway where he would be located by citizens in Williston,” the sheriff’s office said.

“There is zero chance that Caden’s gunshot wound came from any type of assailant.”

It wasn’t immediately clear if the teen would be facing charges over the ruse.

His parents have so far refused to let law enforcement interview him, according to the sheriff’s office.