Teen's claim he was nabbed, shot by 'Hispanic' men sparked outrage. It was a hoax, police say

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A Florida teen’s false claim of being abducted and shot by Hispanic men triggered statewide alerts and anti-Latino social media outrage.

Police say the 17-year-old fabricated the entire story, buying camping supplies and shooting himself in the leg to maintain his hoax.

The fabricated report sparked harmful online reactions targeting Latino people before authorities revealed no abduction had occurred.

The text was every parent’s worst nightmare: A 17-year-old said he had been abducted, shot and wounded by a group of men on a Florida highway.

Law enforcement scrambled to the scene. A statewide alert went out to locate the boy. After it became known that the teen had said his abduc