A former New York state trooper has been arrested and charged after prosecutors say he shot himself in the leg and then falsely claimed he was wounded by an unknown gunman on a Long Island highway last year.
Thomas Mascia shot himself at Hempstead Lake State Park then stashed the gun, drove to the highway and called for help, prosecutors said Monday.
Mascia was charged with official misconduct, tampering with evidence and falsifying documents.
His parents, Dorothy and Thomas, were also each charged with criminal possession of a firearm as the .22- caliber gun was discovered in their West Hempstead bedroom, according to prosecutors.
The three pleaded not guilty and were released until their next court date on Feb. 5.
Jeffrey Lichtman, a lawyer for the family, declined to comment other than to confirm the family surrendered to state police to face the charges.
Prosecutors said in court filings Monday that Mascia, 27, shot himself in an apparent bid to gain attention and sympathy. They also confirmed he was no longer with the state police.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly is expected hold a press conference with state police at her office in Mineola later Monday.
Mascia, who became a trooper in 2019, was suspended without pay in November after state police launched a criminal probe.
Mascia claimed he was shot in the leg on Oct. 30 by the driver of a black sedan that had been parked on the left-hand shoulder of the Southern State Parkway, about a mile from his home.
The trooper claimed the driver fled in the direction of New York City in a car with temporary New Jersey registration, prompting authorities to launch a manhunt that lasted days.
Police said there was no video footage of the episode since the trooper’s body camera was not activated at the time.
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