In the ultimate “bah, humbug” moment, a man dressed in a Santa Claus suit was apparently shot in the back with a pellet gun during a toy giveaway to children in Southeast D.C. on Christmas Eve.
The incident, caught on tape by WJLA-TV, shows a man dressed as Santa Claus walking through the Barry Farm neighborhood and calling out greetings before keeling over in pain.
“Somebody just shot me,” the man said between groans.
The man was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, a D.C. fire department spokesman said.
Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Anthony Clay confirmed the account, saying the man was delivering toys around 9:15 a.m. in the 1200 block of Stevens Road in Southeast “when he heard a popping sound and felt a sharp pain in his body.”
A team of firefighters was already on the scene to help with toy distribution during the event and aided the man, fire department spokesman Tim Wilson said.
The injured man was not a fire department employee, Mr. Wilson said.
Police were investigating the incident as an assault and, after a preliminary investigation, also believe a pellet gun was used.
No suspects were identified Tuesday.
The attack drew outrage from D.C. Council member Marion Barry, who represents Ward 8.
“Who shoots Santa on Christmas Eve? Who does that?” Mr. Barry wrote on his Twitter account. “Sad. Very selfish and reckless.”
• Andrea Noble can be reached at anoble@washingtontimes.com.
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