Mount Vernon Police Department, New York
End of Watch: Wednesday, August 11, 1948
Age: 45
Tour of Duty: 23 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Inadvertent)
Date of Incident: August 11, 1948
Weapon Used: Officer's shotgun
Suspect Info: Not available
Inspector Frank Mascari was shot and killed when he was mistaken for a suspect by one of his fellow detectives during a burglary stake-out at 155 South Terrace Avenue.
Two detectives were hiding in the back of a laundry after receiving reports that it would be burglarized. Inspector Mascari was with the two but left at 8 p.m.. At 9:15 p.m. he returned to the Westchester Diaper Service Branch of the Consolidated Laundries to check on the officers and entered through a side door. As he did so, one of the officers, thinking Inspector Mascari was the burglar, opened fire with a riot gun. Inspector Mascari was struck by several slugs and succumbed to his wounds at Mount Vernon Hospital ten minutes later.
Inspector Mascari had served with the Mount Vernon Police Department for 23 years. He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.