Massapequa school custodian charged in firing of musket outside high school during SAT exam

A school custodian fired a replica Civil War musket in the parking lot of Massapequa High School last week as students completed their SAT exams in the building, according to Nassau County police and district officials.

Gregg Tucker, 70, of Lindenhurst, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, police said. He was allegedly removing the musket, which did not contain ammunition, from the trunk of a car when it discharged at about 11 a.m. last Saturday and emitted a loud noise, district officials told parents in a letter that was provided to Newsday by a district representative.

A police spokeswoman said the musket creates smoke and noise but does not shoot projectiles. Tucker is due back in court on June 26. He could not be reached for comment and it was not clear if he was represented by an attorney.

School officials confirmed Tucker works for the district.

District security and Nassau County police immediately responded to the incident, according to William Brennan, Massapequa schools superintendent.

“At no time was anyone on campus in danger, and SAT testing and school operations continued without disruption. The matter has been turned over to the Nassau County Police Department for investigation,” the district told parents in the letter.

Concerns have been raised by some on social media about the district's response to the incident and whether steps were taken to protect students while the threat was being assessed.  

Brennan said the district followed its safety plans, which are in effect whenever their facilities are being used, even outside regular school hours and on weekends. He told Newsday in a statement that “the district's security command center immediately initiated secure lockout procedures and began its investigation.” Once officials determined there was no ongoing threat, and the situation was under control, the protocols were lifted, he said.

Brennan said the district is reviewing its response, stating, “Following any incident, we immediately engage in a review to evaluate and strengthen communication and emergency preparedness protocol.”

School officials have reached out to the College Board, which administers the SAT exam, to make sure contact information for students and parents is available ahead of time, which could improve the district’s ability to keep families informed, Brennan said. 

Malcolm Gilbert, a member of the District-Wide School Safety Team and president of the Massapequa Federation of Teachers, said he learned of the the situation after it unfolded. 

“Our district takes security very seriously,” he said, adding that many of the district's guards have prior law enforcement experience.

K-12 schools nationwide saw 235 shootings in 2025, a drop from 336 the year prior but still high compared to a decade prior in 2015 when there were 41, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database founded by David Riedman. The total includes all shootings that occur, even at after-hour school events. 

“We're in a state of heightened fear and anxiety with students, parents, and school staff. Even when nothing's going on, school safety is in the forefront of everyone's mind," said Kenneth Trump, president of the Ohio-based National School Safety and Security Services, and no relation to President Donald Trump.