HUMBOLDT, Neb. (AP) — Investigators looking into the shooting earlier this month of a Richardson County Sheriff’s deputy have determined that the deputy staged the shooting and lied about being ambushed by an unknown assailant.

Richardson County Deputy Sheriff Joshua Nincehelser was fired and arrested Friday. He is charged with felony criminal mischief, false reporting and several other counts.

On June 9, Nebraska law enforcement agencies launched a frantic search after Nincehelser reported he had been shot in the arm by a driver he had pulled over. Nincehelser said the driver fired several shots, hitting Nincehelser’s patrol car, too.

Now, investigators say Nincehelser has acknowledged he shot himself, then fired several shots into his patrol car.