Maeve Bidonde, Staff Writer
Last month, 31-year-old NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller was shot during a traffic stop by suspected career criminal Guy Rivera, who was in the passenger seat of the car. Officer Diller had approached the car due to it being illegally parked in front of a bus stop. This would lead to River opening fire at the officer. Officer Diller was shot below the vest and rushed to Jamaica Hospital in critical condition before succumbing to his injuries. He left behind his wife and a one-year-old son as well as other family members.
When Officer Diller approached the car, he asked River numerous times to step out. Rivera refused and continued to disobey the officer’s request. This would only escalate to the point where Officer Diller tried to pull him out of the car. After Officer Diller was shot and radioed for help, his partner returned fire and shot Rivera who had 21 priors in the back. Rivera was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
According to the New York Post, the driver of the car is 41-year-old Lindy Jones who has 14 priors including a conviction for attempted murder. Jones recently was arrested on gun charges and released on a $75,000 bail with a court date set for the following Monday. “I heard, ‘pop!’ Then I heard it again, and I knew it was gunshots. I came outside, I saw two guys on the floor,”said bystander Deon Peters to CBS News. “He was moving. He was saying, ‘I’m hit! I’m hit!’’ Peters also recalled people in the area running around scared when they realized shots were being fired.
After Officer Diller was pronounced dead at the hospital, a dignified transfer was done as an ambulance took his body to the medical examiner’s office. His fellow officers and family gathered and watched as his body was put in the ambulance.‘‘This family upstairs, young wife who’s devastated. These police officers who packed the halls just lost a brother,” the Police Benevolent Association announced. “Our hero police officer confronted this dangerous individual knowing he was putting himself at risk, knowing he had a family waiting for him at home, but he did it to protect the people of this city.” Officer Diller had been an officer with the NYPD for three years and made more than 70 arrests during his short career on the force.
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