Claims He Was Shot in Leg during Traffic Stop
By Hank Russell
A New York State trooper who was shot in the leg and claimed it happened during a traffic stop on the Southern State Parkway has been suspended without pay. The suspension was imposed by state police after it was reported that there were “certain inconsistencies” in his story.
According to state police, Thomas Mascia was patrolling the Southern State Parkway near Exit 17 in West Hempstead on the evening of October 30. At approximately 11:45 p.m., Mascia reportedly exchanged gunfire with a suspect during a traffic stop. The suspect was described by the New York State Police (NYSP) as “believed to be a dark skinned male” driving a black car, “possibly a Dodge Charger” with temporary New Jersey tags.
Mascia was shot in the leg and the suspect drove off “at a high rate of speed,” according to the NYSP report. The trooper was transported to Nassau University Medical Center, where he was reportedly in stable condition. State police offered a $15,000 reward to find the shooter and put out a BOLO (Be On the Look-Out) alert on the Charger. On November 1, Mascia was released from the hospital.
On November 4, the NYSP announced that an internal probe has opened up regarding the shooting incident. In addition, the agency has rescinded the reward and called off the search for the Charger. It was also reported that a search warrant was executed at Mascia’s residence.
Long Island Life & Politics reached out to the state police for more information regarding Mascia’s suspension. NYSP spokesperson Beau Duffy said he “could confirm that Trooper Mascia is suspended without pay. There is no specific time frame on the suspension.” He said the investigation is ongoing and could not comment any further.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly told reporters that she is “actively investigating certain inconsistencies” with what was reported. LILP asked the Nassau DA’s Office for more information. They said the investigation is ongoing and there is no other information at this time.