ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Police say a security guard at St. Catherine University has been arrested for falsely reporting a crime.

St. Paul police said on the department’s Facebook page that the 25-year-old St. Kate’s guard was taken into custody late Wednesday after he admitted to investigators that he accidentally shot himself while on duty the previous night.

Authorities say the guard told investigators he was handling his gun when it fired, striking him in the shoulder. He told police he made up a story that someone had shot him because he feared losing his job at the university.

Dozens of law enforcement officers conducted a search based on the guard’s story. The search was called off early Wednesday.

The guard is being held in Ramsey County Jail.