Newcomerstown Police Officer Accused of Shooting Himself and Lying About it Pleads Guilty

NEW PHILADELPHIA, OH – The former Newcomerstown police officer accused of shooting himself, causing panic, an hours-long manhunt and a statewide blue alert pleaded guilty on Nov. 8.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office said Bryan Eubanks, 37, pleaded guilty to the following charges:
One count of inducing panic, a felony of the fifth degree.
One count of making false alarms, a felony of the fifth degree.
One count of forgery, a felony of the fifth degree.
One count of workers’ compensation fraud, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
Investigators said Eubanks faces the possibility of prison time.
His peace officer certification will be revoked.
A sentencing date has not been set.
At about 10:15 a.m. on April 11, Eubanks told officials that he was “shot by two male suspects in a black Geo Tracker…Male suspects are armed and dangerous.” Eubanks said the incident happened in Newcomerstown at Johnson Hill Rd SW & Post Boy Rd SW.
About an hour and a half later, the state issued a “Blue Alert,” a statewide alert issued only when a police officer has been critically injured or killed and the suspect is still at large.
Cleveland 19 spoke to Eubanks hours after he said he was shot.
When asked if there was anything he would like to say to the suspects he claimed shot him, Eubanks responded, “We’re coming. All of us. This is a brotherhood and sisterhood and we’re all coming.”
Eubanks also spoke about his wife and three children, and shared what seemed like moment by moment memories of the alleged crime.
“He was actually aiming the gun towards my face when I turned the gun shot, and shot me in the arm I ducked down to take cover and head back to my cruiser and that’s when he shot the second round,” said Eubanks.
A week later, the Tuscawaras County Sheriff’s Department said in a news conference that Eubanks made the whole thing up, and admitted a suicide attempt started everything.
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