Update: Missing Florida Teen Found Safe, Initial Kidnapping Story ‘Determined to Be Inaccurate’
An Amber Alert was issued in Marion County, Florida, for 17-year-old Caden Speight, who was reported missing and possibly kidnapped by four Hispanic men in a light-colored van. Speight was last seen near SW Highway 484 in Dunnellon, wearing a T-shirt and blue jeans, and may have been wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat. He was involved in a shooting incident around 4 p.m. at the location where he was last seen,and authorities believe the shooting and his disappearance are connected. Speight sent a distress message to his family about being shot and threatened by men in a white van before his phone was found broken. Despite a helicopter and search dogs being deployed, he was not initially found, prompting the alert. The inquiry remained ongoing. However, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office later canceled the Amber Alert after Speight was found safe in Williston, acknowledging that some initial facts had been inaccurate. authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the case.
UPDATE: The Marion County Sheriff’s Office announced it has cancelled the Amber Alert for Caden Speight, saying, “Caden has been located safe in Williston. … Initial information was later determined to be inaccurate.” The agency said the investigation is “still ongoing” and that “updates will be provided as they become available.”
An Amber Alert has been issued for a Florida teen amid concerns he may have been kidnapped by several Hispanic men.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued the Amber Alert Thursday evening for Caden Speight, 17, according to WESH-TV.
Speight was last seen on SW Highway 484 in the Marion County community of Dunnellon, wearing a T-shirt and blue jeans.
Police believe Speight could be with four men, who could be Hispanic, and could be in a light-colored van.
🚨AMBER ALERT – PLEASE 🚨
A Florida AMBER Alert has been issued for Caden Speight, a white male, 17 years old, 6 feet tall, 150 pounds, brown hair and brown eyes, last seen in the area of the 12800 block of SW Highway 484 in Dunnellon, Florida, who was last seen wearing an… pic.twitter.com/BPRLxIBa1S
— FDLE (@fdlepio) September 26, 2025
Speight is about six feet tall and weighs around 150 pounds.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating a shooting that took place at about 4:00 p.m. at the location where Speight was last seen.
According to WCJB-TV, Speight was driving a work truck at the time of the incident.
The station said a helicopter and search dogs were employed Thursday to find him but were not successful, leading to the Amber Alert being issued.
The station added that Speight sent family members a message saying, “I need help 4 Hispanics in a white van one driver Im shot.”
Some reports said Speight could have been wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat at the time he was last seen, according to 352Today.
Sheriff’s deputies say the shooting and Speight’s disappearance are connected and are seeking anyone who was in the area of the incident to come forward.
“We’re still trying to figure out what happened to Caden, what caused this incident. The very most important thing is to find Caden,” Zach Moore of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said, according to WRBW-TV.
The vehicle Speight was driving remained at the scene of the incident, police said.
🚨 “Mom, I’m shot… 4 men… white van.” 🚨
That was the last message 17-year-old Caden Speight sent his mom.
Moments later — his phone was found snapped in half.
And now… Caden is missing.This isn’t just a runaway.
This is a full-blown Amber Alert out of Dunnellon, Florida,… pic.twitter.com/U0iHSgxAVP— Mr PitBull (@MrPitbull07) September 26, 2025
Multiple questions remain, including any relationship between Speight and the men police believe to be with him.
The Amber Alert posted to X warned anyone who saw a van with Speight in it not to make contact directly but to notify the police.
As noted by the Daytona Beach News Journal, “Amber alerts are only issued when the subject is under 18 and law enforcement has a well-founded belief, based on an active investigation, that a kidnapping has occurred and/or the child is in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, and a detailed description of the child and the abductor/vehicle is available to broadcast.”
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