Ho! Ho! W-h-a-t? Santa Claus Shot In DC!

The man dressed as Santa Claus and walking along Stevens Road in Southeast Washington saw three babies peering at him from a window, and he did what any Santa would do. Pumped with holiday cheer, he turned, waved and shouted the traditional festive greeting.

“Man, this is awesome,” Xavier Hawkins exclaimed on Christmas Eve morning, as he prepared to hand out presents to 800 needy children. “Oh, yes, Merry . . .”

But before the 50-year-old from Maryland’s Eastern Shore could say “Christmas,” a sharp pain cut through his upper back. The driver for the global moving firm Interstate, and Santa for seven consecutive years, had been hit with at least one blast from a pellet gun.

The wound was minor — a large welt — and Hawkins was quickly treated at a hospital and released.

Honestly, what kind of sick S.O.B. takes a shot at Santa Claus? Krampus maybe? That’s cold-hearted, man. Diabolical. Poor Santa just out there trying to spread some Christmas cheer and gets popped with a pellet gun. Good to know that a shot to the back won’t take Santa down though. Dude was Ho-Ho-Hoing even as they drove him away in the ambulance. That’s dedication right there. And where were they elves? They shoulda been all over that shooter like rabid spider monkeys. C’mon elves. Be better.

Anywho, check out the video below: