Man Who Said He Was Stabbed For Looking Like A Neo-Nazi Made Up Report: Police

SHERIDAN, CO — A 26-year-old man who claimed he was stabbed by someone who asked whether he was a neo-Nazi and later indicated that his haircut might have been the reason behind the stabbing admitted to making up the story, police in Sheridan, Colorado said.

On Aug. 16, police received a report of a stabbing and when they arrived on scene, they contacted the alleged victim, 26-year-old Joshua Lee Witt. Witt told police that a man came up to him as he was getting out of his car in the parking lot of a Steak and Shake and asked him "are you one of them Neo-Nazi?" according to police.

Police say Witt then told them that the man tried to stab him with a small knife. Witt told police he blocked the knife with his left hand and sustained a defensive wound.

Police said Witt later posted the information to social media and claimed that his haircut may have been the reason for the attack. The post has since been deleted but a screenshot posted by Gizmodo shows the Facebook post where Witt posted a photo of his bloodied hand and wrote that he got stabbed for looking like a neo-Nazi.

"This became the focus of numerous news stories with Mr. Witt agreeing to several media interviews where he repeated this version of events," police said in a statement, referring to the Facebook post.

Police said they became suspicious of Witt's story because video surveillance in the area did not show anyone running from the scene of the attack as Witt had claimed. Police also located a person who matched the description of the suspect given by Witt but police say the man, who is a transient and lives in the area, was cleared as a possible suspect.

Based on that information and more details they learned from Witt in his interview with police, authorities say they reviewed video surveillance from a nearby sporting goods store and found that the video showed Witt shopping in the store minutes before the alleged attack. Police said store video showed him purchasing a small knife.

Police once again interviewed Witt on Aug. 24 and confronted him with the information. Police say Witt admitted to accidentally cutting himself with the knife and also admitted to making up the story.

Witt was booked and released on a summons for violation of local municipal code for "false reporting to authorities," police said. If convicted, Witt can be fined up to $2650 and face one year in jail.

Image via Sheridan Police