A New York State Trooper has been arrested after allegedly shooting himself in the leg and fabricating a story in which he was shot by a “dark-skinned man” in Hempstead State Lake Park.
Thomas Mascia, 27, of West Hempstead, allegedly shot himself in the leg on Oct. 30, called in shots fired, and told his fellow officers he was shot by a man who fled “near Malverne.” His claim launched a multi-state manhunt for a shooter that did not exist. It was his first day on the job.
“It didn’t take long for everyone to uncover that his harrowing story was nothing more than an elaborate work of fiction,” Nassau County Defense Attorney Anne Donnelly said at a Jan. 27 news conference.
Thomas Mascia has resigned as a state trooper effective Jan. 24, and has been charged with false reporting of a crime, tampering with evidence and official misconduct. His parents have also been charged with criminal possession of a firearm. All three are expected to face a Nassau County judge on Jan. 27.
“Whether for sympathy, attention, to ease a wounded ego, what he did is unconscionable,” Donnelly said. “His selfish act wasted extraordinary resources across several police departments. It pulled law enforcement officers away from actual emergencies, and he put people at risk.
“Most of all, he failed his brothers and sisters in law enforcement, and he failed his oath as an officer, but today, he finds himself on the other side of the law.”
Mascia reported being shot at 11:41 p.m. Oct. 30 near exit 17 on the Southern State Parkway, Hempstead State Lake Park. Mascia described the shooter as a “dark-skinned man” who drove a Dodge Charger and had a temporary New Jersey license plate, and said the shooter fled “near Malverne.”
A $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case was issued after he was treated and released from Nassau University Medical Center, where troopers had lined up to support him upon his release. The ensuing investigation spanned New York, New Jersey and Delaware.
Inconsistencies in Mascia’s story quickly raised red flags. Nine shell casings were found at the scene, but no projectiles. There were no tire marks indicating a Dodge Charger was ever at the scene, nor was the car seen on any surrounding surveillance footage. Further, Mascia’s body camera did not activate at the appropriate time, and when it did, he took measures to cover it, Donnelly said.
The New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association, the union that represents 7,000 active and retired troopers statewide, had helped secure an additional $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case on top of the $5,000 Suffolk County Crime Stoppers’ reward.
“We are saddened and sickened by this case,” the State Troopers PBA said in a statement to the Press after Mascia’s arrest. “Those who proudly wear and do justice to the uniform do so knowing that on any given day we may find ourselves in harm’s way as part of our duty to protect the safety of all New Yorkers.
“The actions of one individual must not be allowed to cast a negative light on that commitment and detract from the important, positive work Troopers do every day across the state. Our focus remains on serving New Yorkers. We’ll leave it to the court to ensure justice is served in this case.”
