Monday, January 13, 2025
Thomas Mascia, a West Hempstead resident and New York state trooper, is under investigation for an Oct. 30 incident on the Southern State Parkway in West Hempstead.
Mascia originally said an unidentified driver shot him along the Southern State Parkway in West Hempstead. The incident supposedly occurred near Exit 17 by West Hempstead around 11:45 p.m.
After reports of several inconsistencies, it appears that that story is not true. Mascia, 27, said a motorist shot him after the trooper stopped to help what he thought was a person in distress. State police said the incident was not on Mascia’s body camera footage, which goes against policy.
“Based on our investigation so far, we have reason to believe that the incident did not occur the way it was reported,” Troop L Commander Major Stephen Uldice said at a Nov. 6 news conference.
Mascia was suspended without pay and his trooper ID, duty weapon and badge were taken from him.
State police searched Mascia’s home in West Hempstead to obtain his weapons, along with any other guns he might have had.
Reputable sources say a large sum of cash, steroids and multiple weapons were seized after the 19-hour search of Mascia’s home.
State trooper body cameras are set to start recording when the state police car’s
emergency lights are turned on, state police said. State police officials said only Mascia’s rear emergency lights were activated during the shooting.
“A member of the state police can be found to be in violation of our rules and regulations, even in the absence of a crime," Uldice said. Thomas Mascia was found to be violation of our rules and regulations."
Police said they are no longer searching for the black Dodge Charger that was alleged to have been involved in the incident.
Mascia claims to have approached the motorist to help him, and heard several shots go off before realizing he was hit in the right leg. The alleged shooter then fled the scene.
He also reports stopping the bleeding by applying his own tourniquet before he was taken to a nearby hospital.
Thomas Mascia was released from the hospital on Nov. 1. Coming out of Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow in a wheelchair, Mascia was cheered by a few hundred of his fellow state troopers. He underwent surgery for his injuries.
Mascia’s father, with whom he shares a name, was once an NYPD officer. Thomas Sr. was fired fro the force in ’93 after pleading guilty to a count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Of all the officers charged in this conspiracy, Thomas Sr. was one of the five who lived on Long Island.
