A former New York state trooper, Thomas Mascia, 27, was arrested and charged with official misconduct, tampering with evidence, and falsifying documents after he allegedly shot himself in the leg and falsely reported that he was wounded by an unknown gunman.
Mascia shot himself last year at Hempstead Lake State Park and then drove to a highway on Long Island, calling for help. He also allegedly planted shell casings at the scene where he shot himself.
Mascia had been a trooper since 2019 before he resigned from the force on Friday. He was previously suspended without pay in November after state police launched a criminal investigation into the shooting.
Mascia’s parents, Dorothy and Thomas, were also charged with criminal possession of a firearm after the .22-caliber gun used in the shooting was found in their West Hempstead bedroom. They pleaded not guilty and were released until their next court date, scheduled for February 5.
Prosecutors said in court filings that Mascia shot himself in an apparent attempt to receive attention and sympathy. Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly called his actions an “unconscionable” deception.
A lawyer for the family, Jeffrey Lichtman, said that Mascia has been suffering from untreated mental health issues for years. Mascia’s family is due back in court on February 5.
