Florida cops are on the hunt for 17-year-old Caden Speight, who went missing after what looks like a shooting in Marion County last Thursday afternoon. There’s still an active Amber Alert across the state as detectives scramble to figure out exactly what went down with the kid a white guy, about 6 feet tall, 150 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes.
“This whole thing is changing by the minute, but our main goal is getting Caden back safe and sound,”
Said Zach Moore, a rep from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
He was last spotted around 4 p.m. on September 25, 2025, over by the 12800 block of Southwest Highway 484 in Dunnellon, not far from the Marion County Airport. When deputies showed up after hearing about shots fired, they found his pickup truck all shot up with bullet holes, but no sign of Caden anywhere.
🚨17 year old possibly wearing a MAGA hat, was abducted and believed to be shot by four “possibly Hispanic” men in Marion County, Florida, according t…
Later that night, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) put out the Amber Alert, saying he might be with four unknown guys, maybe Hispanic, in a light-colored van. They warned folks:
“If you spot them, don’t go near just call the cops right away.”
His family posted on Facebook that they’d gotten a text from him saying he’d been shot.
“We just need him home safe,”
One of them wrote.
At first, it sounded like a straight-up kidnapping at gunpoint. Some news reports and stuff on social media, like a post from Collin Rugg on X, mentioned he was wearing a red MAGA hat. But the investigators haven’t backed that up at all.
Then the MCSO dialed back some details from the original alert.
“Our detectives got new info and evidence that doesn’t match what we first heard,”
They said in a release. Now they’re thinking maybe Caden took off on a black bike, hauling a red-and-gray tent he’d bought in Ocala nearby.
Even the bit about the suspects being “possibly Hispanic” hasn’t been nailed down yet.
The search has spread out into Marion and Citrus counties, with choppers in the air, dogs on the ground, and volunteers pitching in. The Uvalde Foundation for Kids, which helps out with student stuff, is offering $1,000 for any solid tips.
Daniel Chapin, who runs the foundation, put it this way:
“Any kid who’s missing deserves all hands on deck. Hopefully this reward gets someone to speak up.”
Florida’s Amber Alert program started back in 2000 and has brought home tons of kids by getting the word out fast. But this case shows how misinformation can mess things up. Things like the unconfirmed MAGA hat or the suspects’ background have blown up online, making the job harder.
Experts say all that guessing can confuse people and waste time.
“In these quick-developing situations, wild rumors can do as much harm as not saying anything,”
one police analyst noted.
For the family, it’s pure hell.
“This is the nightmare no parent wants,”
Sheriff Billy Woods said.
“We’re telling everyone to keep their eyes open and only trust what’s official.”
They still say Caden’s out there somewhere, possibly in real danger, and they’re begging for tips. If you see him or know something, hit 911 immediately. Or call the FDLE Missing Persons line at 1-888-FL-MISSING, MCSO at (352) 732-9111, or Crime Stoppers at 352-368-STOP or through OcalaCrimeStoppers.com.
As day two of the search rolls on, folks in the area are keeping the faith.
“We’re sure Caden’s alive,”
Sheriff Woods added.
“And we’re not quitting till he’s back.”
