DUNNELLON, Fla. (WFLA) — A 17-year-old accused of staging his own abduction and causing a statewide AMBER Alert has been arrested, Florida deputies say.
On Sept. 25, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office responded to a supposed shooting scene after the teenager texted his family that he had been shot. Deputies located the teen’s truck, which had a bullet hole and blood in the windshield.
“Crime Scene Technicians observed a bullet hole through the windshield of the vehicle, suspected blood, [the teen’s] severely damaged cellphone, drag marks in the dirt, and bicycle tracks leading away from his truck,” the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies said the teenager had purposely shot himself and fired a gunshot through the windshield, splattering blood in the truck before destroying his cellphone.
The sheriff’s office stated that the teenager left the scene on a bicycle with camping supplies he got from Walmart. A witness also reported seeing the boy leaving the scene on a bike.
He was later found in Williston, Florida, with a gun and the bicycle in his possession.
“He attempted to continue the ruse and had a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his leg, which shattered his femur and required medical treatment,” the sheriff’s office said.
Detectives said they later learned he had previously mentioned running away from home. A search of the boy’s laptop also revealed that he searched how to collect his own blood without pain and information on Mexican cartels.
The teenager was arrested on charges of presenting false evidence, shooting into a conveyance, making a false report of a crime, and possession of a firearm by a minor.
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