Grand Jury Indicts Fired Millis Officer Accused Of Faking Shootout

MILLIS (CBS) - The Millis police officer who was fired after he allegedly fabricated a shootout that shut down schools and briefly put part of the town on lockdown is facing new charges.

A grand jury issued six indictments Thursday against 24-year-old Bryan Johnson, some of which stem from a false bomb threat at Millis High School that occurred the same day.

He's charged with calling in a bomb threat, misleading a criminal investigation and making a false police report.

Investigators say Johnson made up a claim in September that a gunman fired at his cruiser before it crashed into a tree and caught on fire.

The former part-time officer told investigators the truth was "incredibly embarrassing." He was hired in June as a permanent intermittent police officer for the town.

According to the police report, Johnson made up the story about the shooting because he was afraid of losing his job.

He pleaded not guilty to many of the charges at his arraignment last month. However, at that time, he was not charged with making the threat to the school.