House fire suspect shot by police dies of wounds

Five days after being shot by police officers as he allegedly pointed a firearm at them after setting a fire in his house, a West Babylon man has died of his wounds, Suffolk County police said.

Thomas J. Scimone, 48, was pronounced dead Thursday afternoon at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip.

He had been hospitalized in critical condition.

Police said they were told Scimone, who lived alone, had a history of mental illness.

Firefighters responding to a fire alarm inside his home were confronted by Scimone, police said.

He threatened them with a shotgun, told them to leave, then escaped through a window into the neighborhood, still armed, police said.

Police said Scimone set the fire inside his house intentionally.

Five officers from the First Precinct later spotted Scimone on Sixth Street near 10th Avenue.

Police said they jumped from their cars and took up positions around the vehicles.

Police said those officers ordered Scimone several times to drop the shotgun.

He pointed the gun at officers, who then shot him "multiple times," police said.

Police did not say how many shots were fired and it was not immediately clear if the shotgun was loaded. Police said Scimone did not fire his weapon.

Arson detectives will review how the fire started, while homicide detectives and Internal Affairs Bureau investigators will look into the circumstances surrounding the shooting, police said.

There were a series of calls reporting disturbances at Scimone's house in recent years. Authorities said he was twice committed to a hospital for psychological evaluation.