A former New York state trooper has pleaded guilty to charges that he shot himself then falsely claimed he was wounded by an unknown gunman on a Long Island highway.

New York State Police have launched a criminal probe into a trooper who claimed he was shot and wounded by an unknown gunman on a Long Island highway last week.

New York State Police have suspended a trooper without pay after launching an investigation into his account of being shot and wounded while trying to help a motorist on a Long Island highway.