Louisiana police officer John Goulart Jr. said he was ambushed and shot while on duty last weekend.
But now, Newser reports the 25-year-old officer has been arrested because local authorities say he staged the whole thing.
The Pineville Police Department officer first told fellow officers he'd been getting out of his car in a shopping center close to midnight on Sunday when gunfire rang out.
Deputy Chief Darrell Basco originally reported that one shot struck Goulart in the leg, and another hit his car.
Locals called Goulart a hero and wished him a speedy recovery. But then, police reviewed the case more carefully. They concluded: Goulart shot himself.
Goulart was charged with criminal mischief and malfeasance in office. He has since been released on a $10,500 bond.