VIDEO: Black Southgeat Santa Xavier Hawkins shot in the back with pellet gun at toy giveaway

Maybe if he was White they would’ve used a bazooka? 

WILA reports a man in a Santa Claus suit who has been identified as Xavier Hawkins was shot in the back with a pellet gun Tuesday morning during a toy giveaway in Southeast Washington.

The video is disturbing. The man dressed as Santa has led the annual Berry Farms gift giveaway for the last seven years, and according to an ABC7 photographer who was interviewing the victim at the time of the shooting, the he was struck in his upper back then transported to a nearby hospital with the pellet still lodged in his shoulder.

Witnesses report hearing two shots. Police believe they came from a second story window in a nearby building. The one pellet struck Santa as he walked through a crowd that included children.

“We could hear it coming out the window -- muffled, boom -- they didn't get hit. I'm glad I got hit and no one else got hurt," said the man in the Santa suit.

"Not on Christmas! Don't shoot Santa, that's bad," said witness J.D. Brown.

Even as paramedics treated his wounds, "Santa" stayed remarkably festive – in fact, he wanted to stay and give out gifts, but medics said no.

So this year, a D.C. ambulance replaced the sleigh in Southeast.

"It''s all good, it's not going to stop the show," said Hawkins.

At least -- not with the families of 600 children waiting for 1,800 donated toys. Thanks to the Grinch, Christmas was saved at Berry Farms.

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