Florida residents received an Amber Alert on Thursday evening about a 17-year-old boy who had apparently been abducted by four men, who stuffed the teen into a van before driving off, with him trapped inside.

"If located, DO NOT APPROACH. Contact law enforcement immediately," the alert said.

But it turned out the boy fabricated the story — and even shot himself in the leg to keep the hoax alive, authorities say.

"Completely made up," Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said in a social media post .

Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.

The investigation began on Thursday afternoon when Caden Speight texted a family member that he had been kidnapped and shot outside of his truck in Dunne

See Full Page