Ex-Massapequa school custodian Gregg Tucker, charged with firing musket, pleads not guilty to child endangerment

A former school custodian who allegedly fired a replica Civil War musket in the parking lot of Massapequa High School earlier this month pleaded not guilty to endangering the welfare of a child on Friday in Nassau County District Court.

A lawyer for Gregg Tucker, 71, said his client is a Civil War re-enactor who was practicing maneuvers outside the school on June 6 when he fired the musket, which shoots smoke — but not ammunition. The incident took place while students were taking SAT exams inside Massapequa High School.

Tucker, who recently retired, was charged with a misdemeanor and has no prior criminal record, according to attorney John Caffrey of Hauppauge — not even a speeding ticket.

“He’s a good guy. This is just an isolated incident,” Caffrey said after Tucker’s brief court appearance in Hempstead. “There was no animosity toward anybody.”

Tucker, of Lindenhurst, is scheduled to return to court on July 14. He has been a Civil War re-enactor for about 30 years, Caffrey said.

The incident was reported to Nassau police, which responded immediately along with district security, 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 a letter.

Some people on social media raised concerns 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 its facilities are being used, even outside regular school hours and on weekends. He told Newsday earlier this month 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 in the letter that the district is reviewing its response. “Following any incident, we immediately engage in a review to evaluate and strengthen communication and emergency preparedness protocol," he said. 

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.

Kindergarten through grade 12 schools nationwide saw 235 shootings last year, a drop from the 336 recorded in 2024 but significantly more than the 41 shootings in 2015, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database. The total includes all shootings that occur, even at after-hours school events.

Caffrey said the June 6 incident did not pose a danger to students or staff — it was just a blunder by a man who likes to dress up in period costumes and bring history to life.