Did Donald Watson really think his story would stand up to scrutiny?

After the 43-year-old took himself to hospital suffering from a gun shot wound in a place that was particularly painful, he told police that he had been the victim of an attempted hold-up by a “black guy”.

And so officers went to his flat in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, looking for evidence of the attack.

Instead they discovered a witness who told officers he heard screams of pain coming from Mr Watson’s apartment about 1am that morning, according to the Argus Leader.

A search warrant was served on Mr Watson’s house, where officers found what appeared to be bullet fragments on his bed. An empty gun case was found, though no firearm.

Mr Watson required surgery after the September 6 incident. Two days after the surgery, Watson was re-interviewed and told officers he was examining the gun, placed it in his pocket and the gun discharged, striking him in the penis. He refused to tell officers who was selling the gun and where the gun is now.