WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A man dressed as Santa Claus and giving away gifts to needy children in Washington was shot Tuesday in the midst of his rounds, according to police.
"Somebody just shot me! My back! Someone shot me with a pellet gun," the man said in video recorded by CNN affiliate WJLA, before he kneels in obvious pain.
Paramedics took the man to a hospital for treatment but the wound was not believed to be serious.
Santa was right about what happened, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump said, added that the preliminary investigation suggests the assailant did use a pellet gun in the attack.
WJLA reported Santa wanted to continue with the toy giveaway as many boys and girls still hadn't received their gifts, but paramedics insisted he go to the hospital.
Standing nearby, the Grinch (or someone dressed like him, anyway), continued the giveaway while Santa was taken away.
The victim's identity was not immediately released.
Police were investigating the incident Tuesday afternoon and didn't say whether any suspects had been identified.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2013 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
