NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is planning to attend the wake for a New York City police officer who was fatally shot during a traffic stop this week, according to his campaign.
Trump, the 2024 presumptive Republican presidential nominee, is expected to be at a visitation Thursday on Long Island for Officer Jonathan Diller, the first New York City police officer killed in the line of duty in two years.
“President Trump is moved by the invitation to join NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller’s family and colleagues as they deal with his senseless and tragic death,” said Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.
The Queens-born Republican has repeatedly raised the issue of crime in the Big Apple on the campaign trail and ahead of his own hush-money criminal trial in Manhattan. In a social media post Tuesday, he noted police said Diller’s alleged shooter, Guy Rivera, had numerous prior arrests, declaring that he “NEVER should have been let back out on the streets.”
The news came Wednesday after a second suspect in the shooting, Lindy Jones, was arraigned on weapons charges.
Police said Jones, 41, was behind the wheel of an SUV, with Rivera in the passenger seat, that was illegally parked at a bus stop in the Far Rockaway neighborhood shortly before 6 p.m. Monday when Diller and his partner approached the vehicle.
Rivera refused Diller’s orders to get out of the vehicle and shot Diller under his protective vest, according to police.
“He was given a lawful order numerous times to step out of the car,” Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a news conference after the shooting. “He refused. And when the officers took him out of the car, rather than stepping out of the car, he shot our officer.”
The 31-year-old Diller, who was married and had a 1-year-old son, was rushed to a hospital but could not be saved.
Diller’s partner returned fire, hitting the gunman in the back, police said. Rivera remained hospitalized Wednesday and had not been formally charged.
Rivera’s mother, Keshia Gilyard, told the New York Daily News that he did not trust law enforcement after serving time in prison.
“He might have thought they were trying to hurt him and something snapped,” she said.
Jones was arrested after police obtained a search warrant and found a loaded 9 mm pistol in the glove compartment with the serial number scratched off, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. He was arraigned in Queens on four illegal weapons charges.
Katz said in a news release her office “will continue working around the clock to seek justice on behalf of Officer Diller’s loved ones, his NYPD family and in honor of his selflessness and courage.”
A message seeking comment was sent to Jones’ attorney, Linda Bucher.
Diller, who joined the police department three years ago, lived in Massapequa Park on Long Island with his wife, Stephanie, and their son, Ryan.
Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer, called Diller’s shooting “devastating” and said Tuesday, “These are bad people doing bad things to good people. It’s the good guys against the bad guys.”
Diller’s funeral Mass is planned for Saturday at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Massapequa.
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
