The former St. Catherine University security officer charged with shooting himself and blaming it on a fictitious black man pleaded guilty to the crime.
Brent Ahlers, 25, of St. Louis Park, entered the plea via mail in a document filed with the court Tuesday, the day he was scheduled to appear for the first time on one misdemeanor count of falsely reporting a crime to police.
Ahlers noted in his plea, which he signed Oct. 27, that there was no prior plea agreement with the prosecution. He waived his right to appear in court Tuesday for the plea.
The offense is punishable by up to 90 days imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $1,000. He is to be sentenced Dec. 18.
His attorney, Eric Rice, declined to comment Tuesday.
According to court documents and police, Ahlers shot himself in the shoulder about 9:25 p.m. on Sept. 12 and told police he was shot by a black man with a "short Afro" who was wearing a sweatshirt.
The shooting occurred in a wooded area in the southwest side of campus, leading to an hourslong lockdown as police searched the 110-acre campus with 55 officers, four K-9s and a State Patrol aircraft.
Chao Xiong
