In a desperate bid to win back his ex-girlfriend, a former New York State trooper faked his own shooting and even asked to be taken to the hospital where she worked as a nurse, prosecutors said.Thomas Mascia once wore the state police uniform. He went to extraordinary lengths and did the deed on October 30, 2024, when he staged an attack, hoping to earn sympathy from his ex-girlfriend, who had ended their relationship earlier that year. Nassau County prosecutors said Mascia falsely claimed that a black man had shot him in the leg during a traffic stop on the Southern State Parkway before speeding away in his vehicle. When first responders arrived, Mascia insisted on being taken to the Long Island hospital where he knew his former partner would be on duty, law enforcement sources told The New York Post. The hoax was meant to impress her, but instead cost Mascia his job, reputation, and also his freedom.He was sentenced on Wednesday to six months in jail after pleading guilty to official misconduct and tampering with evidence. The court also issued an order of protection for his ex-girlfriend. Mascia had even researched online which parts of the body were safest to be shot and read about what it felt like to be a gunshot victim, according to Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly.On the night of the staged shooting, Mascia even threw shell casings across the parkway to make the scene look real. His act was so convincing that fellow officers gave him a traditional police “walkout” ceremony when he wasThe fake shooting triggered a large-scale manhunt across the New York metro area for the imaginary gunman before investigators exposed the lie. Mascia resigned on January 24 and was later ordered to pay $289,511 in restitution.Judge Robert Bogle condemned Mascia’s actions in court, saying, “Everyone started out rooting for you. But you led us on fraud and dangerous, outrageous behaviour. I hope during your incarceration you will reflect on your misdeeds and abuse of official authority. You violated the trust of the state of New York.”His lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, said the act stemmed from “many years of mental health issues that were never treated. Tom is getting mental health treatment and is sorry for all the pain he’s caused,” Lichtman added.
