Cops questioning NY trooper’s report of being shot on Long Island parkway

The shooting of a New York State trooper is nether probe arsenic authorities judge it “did not hap the mode it was reported,” constabulary brass said successful a briefing connected Wednesday.

Authorities are investigating Thomas Mascia, 27, and his relationship of a shooting just earlier midnight connected Oct. 30 successful West Hempstead connected Long Island’s Southern State Parkway.

“I can’t get into the specifics of what grounds we person … oregon what we deliberation whitethorn person happened that night, providing those details astatine this constituent could compromise our investigation,” New York State Police Maj. Stephen Udice told reporters connected Wednesday, according to WABC. “I tin archer you that, based connected our probe truthful far, we person crushed to judge that the incidental did not hap the mode it was reported.”

Mascia was suspended without wage connected Monday. State constabulary searched his West Hempstead home and removed his department-issued firearms arsenic good arsenic idiosyncratic weapons and his constabulary shield, Newsday reported. The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office is besides investigating the case.

“If it is determined that transgression charges are appropriate, past they volition beryllium filed,” Udice said, according to Newsday.

Mascia reported helium was changeable successful the close limb astir 11:45 p.m. connected Oct. 30 adjacent Exit 17 of the Southern State Parkway. He said helium slowed down to halt an evident stranded motorist, but the operator responded with gunshots and sped off.

“Trooper Mascia’s bully intentions were met with unexpected gunshots directed astatine him from a coward who, without immoderate provocation oregon bully changeable oregon bully cause, began to sprout astatine him,” Udice said connected Oct. 31.

Mascia was released from the infirmary connected Nov. 1, and was greeted by hundreds of Long Island instrumentality enforcement personnel. He had described the shooter’s conveyance arsenic a Dodge Charger with a impermanent New Jersey licence plate.

But by Monday, constabulary had stopped searching for the conveyance oregon immoderate different fishy successful the shooting. Instead, they turned their probe toward Mascia and are questioning if helium could person changeable himself.

Mascia’s body-worn camera wasn’t turned on until aft the reported shooting, cops said.

“I deliberation [the incident] overshadows the outstanding and large enactment that the members of the authorities constabulary and the authorities troopers bash each and each time successful an effort to support the nationalist safe,” Udice said Wednesday, according to Newsday. “There’s a batch of emotion close now.”

In 1993, Mascia’s father, an NYPD officer, was fired by the unit aft pleading blameworthy to a number of conspiracy to administer cocaine. The elder Mascia, besides named Thomas, was one of 5 NYPD cops surviving connected Long Island charged successful the aforesaid case.

“I’m not going to sermon his family,” Udice said.