Thomas Mascia, a 27-year-old former New York State Police trooper from West Hempstead, pleaded guilty to tampering with physical evidence, falsely reporting an incident, and official misconduct in connection with a staged shooting on the Southern State Parkway near Exit 17 on October 30, 2024. He admitted to creating a fake crime scene by spreading spent shell casings on the road, then driving to Hempstead Lake State Park where he shot himself in the leg with a rifle matching the caliber of the shells. Mascia subsequently returned to the highway and reported the shooting, claiming he was ambushed by an unknown assailant driving a Dodge Charger.
The incident prompted a massive, multi-agency manhunt involving New York State Police, Nassau County Police, New Jersey State Police, and other law enforcement agencies, which lasted for several days. Prosecutors stated that Mascia’s story was entirely fabricated, with no physical evidence supporting his claims, including the absence of projectiles, tire marks, or video footage of the alleged vehicle. His body camera footage also showed inconsistencies, including delayed activation and signs of being covered.
Mascia’s defense attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, argued that the actions were driven by untreated mental health issues, citing a prior unsubstantiated claim of a hit-and-run injury in 2022 and a recent suicide attempt in August 2025. The plea deal, accepted on May 21, 2025, includes a sentence of six months in jail, five years of probation, mandatory mental health treatment, and restitution of $289,511 to cover overtime costs incurred during the investigation. His parents, Thomas Mascia Sr. and Dorothy Mascia, were also charged with criminal possession of a firearm after an illegal assault-style gun and $800,000 in cash were found during a search of their home; they pleaded guilty to the charges.
Sentencing for Mascia and his parents is scheduled for August 20, 2025. The case has raised concerns about mental health screening and hiring standards within law enforcement, particularly given Mascia’s history of unaddressed psychological issues and his father’s criminal record as a former NYPD officer.
