JUST IN: Shocking Twist Apruptly Ends Search For Florida Teen Feared Kidnapped

An amber alert sent out on Friday has been called off after Florida authorities responded to initial reports that a group of four Hispanic-appearing individuals possibly kidnapped a 17-year-old boy wearing a Make America Great Again hat.

As the story took on national legs, observers were racing to uncover the truth behind claims that Caden Speight was the victim of a shooting that left his car abandoned near a regional airport where he had vanished. By Friday afternoon, authorities with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) were urging members of the public to refrain from jumping to conclusions.

In a statement, the MCSO declared that witnesses who claimed a group of Hispanic individuals were involved, or that Speight was last seen wearing a MAGA hat, were “unfounded” in their observations.

Still, the whereabouts of Speight remained unknown, including after county and statewide law enforcement deployed K-9 units and a helicopter near Marion County Airport overnight.

Speight was not injured in a shooting at all, police confirmed late Friday afternoon, saying he was located safely in Williston.

“Detectives obtained information and collected evidence that is unsupportive of the initially reported facts,” the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

The department told NewsNation that there is no evidence Speight was kidnapped or in the company of others.

Authorities are every bit as perplexed as the public about why Speight left his vehicle abandoned near the airport, especially after first responders reported viewing the remains of gunfire near or on the car. Photos released by MCSO instead showed Speight walking a bicycle while wearing a dark shirt and a black-and-white baseball cap.

The latest tip for investigators came when reports suggested that Speight may have left the area where his vehicle was found and taken the bicycle with a red and gray tent that he bought at the local Walmart at Southwest 19th Avenue Road in Ocala shortly before a shooting occurred. The disappearance now appears to be unrelated.

Speight, who lives in Dunnellon, appears to have traveled north to Williston by bicycle after abandoning his vehicle at the airport, which sits about 15 minutes east outside of his hometown. The remarkable ride requires a 45-minute drive between the two cities, likely meaning Speight would have spent most of the day riding along highways without drawing the attention of authorities responding to a statewide Amber Alert.

Members of Speight’s family were pleading for his safe return, including his sister, who wrote earlier in the day on Facebook, “God I just want him home. I can’t sleep eat or do anything not knowing where he is and if he is safe. Please don’t stop searching or looking. There is still little to no information on what happened or where he could be. I don’t understand why this has happened. Just bring him home.”