Security Guard Fakes Shooting at Power Station

July 5, 2007
Guard claimed he was shot twice in chest, but had shot his own vest with bullet

Glendale -- A security guard admitted to Glendale police he staged his own shooting last week.

According to police he not only lied about being shot, he faked the evidence too.

Last week the security guard called for help from a Glendale power station he was patrolling.

The guard said he was shot twice in the chest, but didn't see who shot him.

"He claimed...he'd been shot twice in the chest, he told the dispatcher that he did have body armor on but that he was having trouble breathing" says police officer Joel Dhein.

When officers arrived on the scene, they found the guard had holes in his vest and welts on his chest.

Two days later he admitted he staged it all.

Officer Dhein says the guard "had actually shot his vest the day before he reported the incident, and then the day of, he actually shot himself in the chest with a paint gun twice to make it appear that he had bruising from such an incident."

Police had the man temporarily committed at the mental health complex for observation.

They say he admitted to having some issues, but never explained why he would stage his own shooting.

The man is expected to meet with the District Attorney's office Thursday.