Thursday, February 6, 2025
Thomas Mascia, a West Hempstead resident, turned himself on Monday for shooting himself in the leg while on patrol. He resigned from the New York State Police on Jan. 24, and was charged with tampering with physical evidence, falsely reporting an incident, and official misconduct three days later.
On Oct. 30 at 11:41 p.m., Mascia was on road patrol near Exit 17 on the Southern State Parkway when he called in that shots had been fired and he had been hit. Mascia reported that he had pulled over behind a stopped vehicle he assumed was in distress before shots were fired at him and the vehicle left the scene.
This was Mascia’s first day serving as a road patrol trooper on his own.
The event set off a multi-state manhunt, as law enforcement officials searched for the suspect and vehicle involved in the incident.
After finding no evidence of the described vehicle in the area, along with several other inconsistencies in Mascia’s story and a lack of body camera footage, a state investigation concluded he had violated official policy and falsely reported the incident.
“Our investigation determined that Mascia deliberately shot himself and he lied about it,” said New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James.
Mascia shot himself with a personal gun, which was later discovered by state police and matched to the bullet casing’s discovered at the crime scene.
“The shooter we were all looking for only existed in Mascia’s head, in his imagination,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly.
Donnelly suggested Mascia faces possible one to three years in prison for his actions.
His parents, Thomas and Dorothy, also turned themselves in. They were charged with criminal possession of a firearm, which was discovered while executing a search warrant on their property.
Mascia Sr. is a former NYPD officer who pleaded guilty on a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in 1993. As a convicted felon, Mascia Sr. is not allowed to possess a firearm.
The nearly $800,000 in cash seized from Mascia’s home was linked to his parents and the source of the money is currently being investigated.
All three were arraigned in district court on Jan. 27 and released. They’re due back in court on Feb. 5.
“We do not tolerate such conduct,” said Superintendent James. “We will not let one individuals actions overshadow the commitment and dedication of the thousands of troops in law enforcement who tirelessly perform their duties.”
