MILLIS, Mass. — A Millis police officer fabricated claims that a gunman shot at him, police said Thursday.
Police Sgt. William Dwyer said the only ballistics evidence recovered at the scene of the incident Wednesday were from shots fired by the officer into his own cruiser, NECN reported.
After interviews and an examination of evidence, police determined that the officer’s story that he was shot at by a man in a pickup truck was fabricated, Dwyer said at a news conference. The officer “fired shots at his own cruiser as part of a plan to concoct a story that he was fired upon,” he said.
“The evidence indicates that shots were not fired by a suspect and there is no gunman at large in or around the town,” he said.
The police car crashed and caught fire. Police are not sure if the officer set the car on fire.
The 27-year-old officer’s name is not being released until he is charged. Police and prosecutors will determine what criminal charges the officer will face, Dwyer said.
The officer is a temporary officer who has been on the force for about 18 months and was previously a dispatcher, NECN reported.
The 2:30 p.m. reports of shots fired drew a large police response and requests that people remain indoors. Schools were closed Thursday as a precaution.
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