Niagara County Sheriff’s Deputy James Hildreth searches for what turned out to be a fictional assailant with his K-9 partner, Ciro. George Shearman, 3836 Mapleton Road, told police a man walked up to him and shot him on his Click on photo for larger image

Shooting turns out to be hoax
By Mark Lindsay / [email protected]
Thursday, July 29, 2026

WHEATFIELD — A Mapleton Road man claimed he was shot in the doorway of his home Wednesday afternoon, but now is facing charges himself after police say he concocted the whole story.

George Shearman, 49, told police he did not know the assailant but said the man said: “Do you remember me?,” before he shot him in the shoulder. He said the man ran from the scene on foot and a massive multi-agency manhunt was launched.

Late Wednesday night, Chief Investigator Bruce Roth said it appears the shooting was accidental.

“He didn’t want to tell his wife, so he told us someone shot him,” Roth said.

Roth said Shearman had the semi-automatic pistol out and was handling it. Shearman went to let his two dogs in and either the dogs or the door jostled the gun and it went off, striking him in the shoulder, Roth said.

Deputies and troopers combed the area around the home, using both the sheriff’s and the state police’s K-9 units and used two helicopters to search the area. The Sheriff’s Mobile Command Center was also on the scene.

Contact Mark Lindsay at (716) 439-9222, Ext. 6248.



Read more in the July 29 Lockport Journal
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