An Arkansas police officer was arrested and fired this week after he admitted to fabricating a police report.

Last month, Sgt. David Houser of the England, Arkansas, police department said that he exchanged gunfire during a drive-by shooting with a suspect who he suggested was a Latino man. He also showcased evidence of a bullet that grazed his bulletproof vest. After a manhunt and a review of the evidence, state police officials interviewed Houser again and he admitted to making up the crime and lying on the report. He surrendered to authorities yesterday morning.

Nathan Cook, chief of Houser’s department, speculated during a press conference that Houser might have been dealing with mental health issues:

"Obviously he needs some help to have fabricated a shooting incident and to shoot yourself and claim you were shot at by someone who doesn’t exist," Cook said.

A previous report from the area’s CBS outlet yielded many tips on sightings of the fake suspect, says The Root. 

(H/t ArkansasOnline, The Root, THV11.com)