A Long Island man is accused of shooting his parents in a disturbing Christmas morning attack in which he tried to forcibly take his 1-year-old child from their home amid a custody battle with the child's mother.
Dino Tomassetti was arrested by Nassau County Police and charged with two counts of 2nd-degree attempted murder. He said nothing as he dodged reporters, while detectives escorted him to a waiting patrol car.
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder outlined in detail what allegedly happened on Dec. 25 behind the walls of the Hewlett Harbor mansion where Tomassetti's parents live. Detectives said that the 29-year-old was trying to take his child from the parents' home by force.
"He wanted to take the child away from the parents and the natural mother, which he did not have custody to," Ryder said.
When his parents refused, investigators said that Tomassetti pulled out a pistol and shot his 64-year-old mother in the head, and his 65-year-old father in the back and wrist.
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"He struck his father in the head numerous times when he ran out of bullets," Ryder added.
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The attack occurred as the 1-year-old watched on, as police said the child was in the room as it went down. Fortunately, the child was not hurt, police said. Nor was the mother, who was also at the home.
Tomassetti took off, but police eventually tracked him down to Mahwah, New Jersey, and he was brought into custody on Sunday.
The parents were hospitalized following the shooting, but have been released from the hospital and are expected to survive. The child is in the custody of his mother.
