Cops: Shot man set fire to his West Babylon home

A man shot by Suffolk police officers intentionally set the fire that brought firefighters to his West Babylon home, where he threatened to shoot them before escaping the burning building, officials said Monday.

Firefighters on Saturday evening were forced at gunpoint from the home of Thomas Scimone, 48, after a fire alarm alerted them to a blaze in the Fourth Street house.

Scimone, who police said has a history of emotional disturbances, was inside holding a shotgun as a fire burned in the living room.

"It appears he used some kind of accelerant, probably gas, and lit two chairs on fire in the living room," said Det. Lt. Gerard Pelkofsky of the Homicide Squad. No 911 call was made.

With additional officers en route and West Babylon firefighters seeking cover outside, Scimone crawled from a rear window and ran from the property, police said. He was spotted about three blocks away on Sixth Street, where several officers jumped from their cars and ordered him to drop his weapon, a single-barrel shotgun.

Scimone did not comply and the officers opened fire when he raised the gun, Pelkofsky said.

Five officers, some seeking cover behind parked cars, fired a total of 42 rounds, striking Scimone eight times. He remained in critical condition Monday at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip.

Scimone did not fire any rounds during the incident, and the antique shotgun he carried was found to be unloaded. Shells were found in his pockets, and one was on the ground when officers reached him after the shooting, police said.

In addition to homicide detectives, the fire and shooting are under investigation by arson and Internal Affairs detectives.Detectives continued Monday to look through records of dozens of 911 calls of disturbances.

Scimone has twice been committed for psychological evaluation. In 2005, police responded to the house and found Scimone in a suicidal state. The issue was resolved peacefully, although the exact circumstances of the incident were not yet clear, police said.