The ISU student who reported being robbed near Frederiksen Court has confessed to making it up, said the ISU Police Department.

Joseph Gunnells, freshman in aerospace engineering, reported being robbed around noon on Oct. 14 in Lot 112, a parking lot east of Frederiksen Court. Gunnells told police a man dressed in a black, hooded sweatshirt and dark sunglasses approached him from behind with a knife and demanded money. Gunnells also had a scratch on his face that he said was caused by the man, said Darin Van Ryswyk, the investigations captain for ISU Police.

ISU police sent out a timely warning later in the afternoon notifying students and faculty about the reported robbery.

During the investigative process, police noticed discrepancies in the report, Van Ryswyk said. Police confronted Gunnells on Oct. 23, and he confessed there was no robbery and the scratch on his face was self-inflicted.

Police arrested Gunnells on Oct. 29 and charged him with filing a false police report, a serious misdemeanor. Gunnels could face up to a year in jail with a maximum fine of $1,875.

“We take reports at face value, and we follow up on any case that comes in very seriously,” Van Ryswyk said. “We’re not sure what he’s going through, but we’re trying to get him some help. It’s an unfortunate incident.”

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 17.