A former trooper from New York State has been taken into custody and is facing charges after authorities claim he shot himself in the leg and subsequently made a false report of being shot by an unknown assailant on a highway in Long Island last year.
Thomas Mascia allegedly inflicted the injury upon himself at Hempstead Lake State Park, concealed the firearm, and then drove to the highway to call for assistance, as stated by prosecutors on Monday. Reports indicate that he also placed shell casings at the scene to bolster his fabricated story.
Mascia has been charged with official misconduct, tampering with evidence, and falsifying documents. Additionally, his parents, Dorothy and Thomas Mascia, have also been charged with criminal possession of a firearm after law enforcement discovered a weapon in their West Hempstead home, according to the prosecution.
All three individuals entered not guilty pleas and were released as they await their next court appearance scheduled for February 5. Prosecutors argue that Mascia shot himself in an apparent attempt to draw attention and garner sympathy.
Following the hearing, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly described the actions of the former officer as an “unconscionable” act of deception. She stressed that Mascia was fully aware of the fear his actions would instill yet proceeded nonetheless.
Jeffrey Lichtman, who is representing the family, indicated that the 27-year-old Mascia, who resigned from his position last Friday, had been struggling with “untreated mental health issues” for several years. Lichtman added, “There are many less severe and less dangerous ways to garner sympathy that don’t include shooting oneself. And now an entire family is suffering for it as they usually do in such situations.”
The elder Mascia has a troubled past in law enforcement, having been dismissed from the New York Police Department in 1993 after he pleaded guilty to drug distribution charges related to cocaine. His son, who began his career as a trooper in 2019, faced suspension without pay in November when state police launched a criminal investigation concerning the shooting incident.
Initially, Mascia claimed he was shot in the leg on October 30 by a driver of a black car that had been stopped on the left-hand shoulder of the Southern State Parkway, roughly a mile from his residence. He alleged that the driver escaped toward New York City in a vehicle with temporary New Jersey plates, prompting a manhunt that extended over several days.
Authorities noted there was no available video evidence of the incident, as the trooper’s body camera was not activated during the time of the occurrence.
This account was originally reported on January 27, 2025, and it was revised on January 28, 2025, to clarify that the firearm found in the parents’ bedroom was different from the one allegedly used by the son.
