A love-sick New York State Trooper staged one of the most insane hoaxes in police history — shooting himself in the leg just to impress his ex-girlfriend.
Officials say 28-year-old Thomas J. Mascia went to bizarre lengths to play the hero, claiming he’d been ambushed by a masked gunman during a traffic stop. The story sparked panic across Long Island — until investigators realized the “attack” was nothing but a twisted lie.
Mascia’s tale unraveled when police found no trace of the supposed shooter — no witnesses, no matching vehicles, and not a single camera hit. Within days, detectives discovered he’d planted the .22-caliber bullet casings himself, then drove to a nearby park, shot himself in the leg, and returned to stage the scene.
When they searched his family’s home, they found the smoking gun — literally — a .22 rifle matching the bullet that tore through his own leg.
District Attorney Anne Donnelly tore into the disgraced cop, calling his actions “disgraceful” and “a stunning betrayal of public trust.”
“This was a meticulously calculated act of deceit designed to make him look like a hero,” Donnelly said. “Instead, he humiliated an entire department, wasted hundreds of investigative hours, and cost taxpayers nearly $300,000.”
Mascia pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence, falsely reporting an incident, and official misconduct. His punishment: six months in jail, five years of probation, a $289,511 restitution order, and mandatory mental health treatment.
A source close to the case said bluntly, “He didn’t just shoot himself in the leg — he shot his career in the head.”
SOURCE: Nassau County District Attorney’s Office / RadarOnline.com
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