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Entertainment

Mayor Eric Adams, NYPD addresses backlash over viral video of officers taken after Drake concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem

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HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) — Twitter was thrown into a frenzy over the weekend after footage captured the NYPD taking video of people leaving a Drake concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, but the department insists it’s not what it looks like.

“It was a large event. Drake back at the Apollo! We want that. We want our police and community involved,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.

It was an epic weekend at the Apollo. Drake performed for the first time ever at the historic theater.

After the Sunday night concert, fans walked to about a dozen NYPD officers, in plain sight, shooting video of those leaving the performance.

The five second clip went viral, with 20 million views and counting, and angered users on social media, including Twitter, about NYPD surveillance tactics.

“Well, first we have to be honest with ourselves. Twitter is not real and those little people that goes back and forth all the time talking to themselves,” Adams said.

ALSO READ | Woman pleads guilty to stealing cousin’s $1 million New York State Lottery jackpot

In a statement to Eyewitness News, the NYPD said the officer seen in the blue jacket holding the camera is from the 28th Precinct social media team and that the officer was taking video for an upcoming Twitter post that will highlight local community events. The video will not be utilized for any other reason.

They said the final Drake concert video will look similar to a video created from a December toy drive.

The 28th Precinct has been posting highlights from local events, trying to promote a positive relationship between the community and the NYPD.

“When you have those that are sitting at home in the corner of the room, trying to find a reason to divide NYPD from everyday New Yorkers, then they are going to say that,” Adams said. “Thumbs up to that great captain up in the 28 Precinct. I know that precinct. I know that captain. He’s very community-minded and community-centered and I commend him for doing so.”

But the clip reignited concerns raised last week when Madison Square Garden admitted to using facial recognition to remove litigants with actions against the arena. This prompted state legislators to introduce a new bill Monday, that would ban the use of facial recognition at sporting events.

Still, with the NYPD providing an explanation as to why cameras were filming people leaving the Apollo, a lot of New Yorkers still aren’t buying it. Meaning, the NYPD has a lot more work to do in improving community relations.

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Sports

Gang violence killed innocent college basketball star Darius Lee, police say in Harlem mass shooting

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HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) — A 21-year-old college basketball star was killed and eight others shot when gunfire erupted in Harlem.

It’s believed that it was a gang shootout that left an innocent young man dead.

Tuesday morning, family and friends of the man killed at the late-night BBQ spoke out as police continued searching for the gunmen.

College basketball star Darius Lee, 21, was a 2018 graduate of St. Raymond High School in the Bronx. He was set to graduate from Houston Baptist University next year.

Lee made his family, friends, coaches, and teammates proud, and they honored him Monday night in Harlem and Houston.

St. Raymond High School released a statement about the former student’s death in an Instagram post:

“We are heartbroken and devastated to learn of the senseless passing of Darius Lee, class of 2018. Our prayers and condolences go out to his family at this time, and we pray for his eternal rest with our Lord. Aside from being a tremendous basketball star, he was a phenomenal human being, and a young man living such a positive life, succeeding in school, on the court, and in life. These senseless acts of violence need to stop…such a tragedy.”

He was shot and killed after gunfire erupted at a cookout along the Harlem River drive around 12:30 a.m. Monday.

Nine people were shot.

Seven men and two women ranging in age from 21 to 42 were struck in a park along the East River in the area of Fifth Avenue and East 139th Street.

Two of the people who were shot have gang ties, and at least one of them may have been a gunman.

Very little surveillance video has been recovered due to the location of the gunfire, across from an overpass on the other side of the highway.

WATCH: Where the gunfire erupted and where the victims fled

It was specifically chosen, according to the organizer’s Instagram post, to evade police.

“He’s an innocent kid,” said Lee’s sister Tiara Weaver. “He decided to stay outside one day, and this is what happens.”

“He was a pure soul. So kind,” said his cousin Thailyn Lee. “Wasn’t into the streets or nothing. He was all about basketball. He didn’t deserve none of this.”

Police recovered one gun from the scene.

Detectives believe at least three guns were used to fire dozens of shots.

They are still trying to determine how many.

So far, there have been no arrests and they’re asking for the public’s help.

Mayor Eric Adams and the police commissioner are expected to provide another update Tuesday afternoon.

In the wake of the shooting, Lee’s coach expressed grief and confusion over his star’s untimely killing.

“Darius was a remarkable young man who loved the Lord, his mom, his family, his teammates, his friends, and his entire HBU family,” Ron Cottrell, HBU’s head men’s basketball coach, wrote in a statement. “We are in shock and cannot wrap our heads around this news.”

In spite of the violent circumstance of Lee’s death, Cottrell added that his student-athlete left a positive legacy behind.

“As great of a basketball player as he was, he was an even better person. I can’t even think of basketball right now. I can only think of what a light Darius was during his short time on earth. He was a joy to coach and we loved him so much,” Cottrell wrote.

HBU’s director of athletics, Steve Moniaci, not only expressed sorrow over losing Lee, but also railed over yet another act of gun violence.

“He was a very fine young man who had a very bright future in front of him both on and off the court. This is unfortunately, yet again, another example of the senseless gun violence that seems to be plaguing our country right now and we all pray it will cease,” Moniaci wrote in a statement.

Lee’s impact on the court was also too hard to ignore.

This past season, he was a second-team All-Southland Conference selection after leading Houston Baptist in scoring and rebounding. He was also one of the best defenders in the country, finishing sixth in the nation in steals per game.

Darius’ father Eric Lee says his son was once chubby and not a kid you would expect to become a star athlete.

But by 21 years old, Lee had earned one basketball scholarship after another and was a star at the university. He was not a young adult anyone would expect to become a victim of gun violence.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit tips by visiting the CrimeStoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or by messaging on Twitter @NYPDTips.

As of June 20, there have been 277 mass shootings in the U.S. this year, according to Gun Violence Archive.

There were 692 mass shootings in 2021, 611 in 2020, and 417 in 2019.
Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as a shooting with four or more people injured or killed, not including the perpetrator.

Sister station KTRK in Houston contributed to this report

ALSO READ | Three members of the same family killed in Queens fire

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NYC crime: Mass shooting in Harlem leaves 1 dead, multiple wounded

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HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) — Nine people were shot, one of them fatally, when gunfire erupted in Harlem overnight.

Seven men and two women, ranging in age from 21 to 42, were struck in the area of Fifth Avenue and East 139th Street just after 12:35 a.m. Monday.

The victims were enjoying a late night gathering when gunfire rang out.

One area resident told Eyewitness News there were so many gunshots she could not believe her ears.

“I was sitting in my living room and all I heard was sporadic shots ringing,” she said. “It was like, ‘Prong, prong, prong!’. And then it stopped and picked back up, ‘Brum, brum!’ You know, it was so many shots. First I thought it was fireworks. and then I thought, ‘Nah, it can’t be.'”

Police initially were told that two groups were shooting at each other at the scene.

“We just think it was a gathering, a barbecue, to that nature,” NYPD Deputy Chief Brian McGee said

WATCH: Where the gunfire erupted and where the victims fled

Five of the victims were initially found shot on a footpath over the Harlem River Drive. The others arrived at Harlem Hospital.

A 21-year-old man was pronounced dead at Lincoln Hospital.

The other eight victims are believed to have non life threatening injuries.

Many of the victims were shot in the torso. There were also injuries to people’s legs, back and even fingers.

One gun was recovered at the scene.

No arrests were immediately made and it was unclear what prompted the shooting.

Police are asking for the public’s help as the investigation into this incident continues.

Call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit tips by visiting the CrimeStoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or by messaging on Twitter @NYPDTips.

ALSO READ | Three members of the same family killed in Queens fire

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Business

NYC crime: McDonald’s worker stabbed while defending coworkers in East Harlem

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EAST HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) — A McDonald’s worker was stabbed multiple times defending other employees from an unruly customer in East Harlem.

The suspect began harassing and arguing with employees inside the restaurant at 3rd Avenue and East 117th Street at around 12:45 a.m. Wednesday.

It is believed he had trouble ordering food from a kiosk and went to the counter to speak with a female manager when they started to argue.

The 31-year-old victim, who works in the kitchen, came out with a broom handle or stick in hand to defend the staff and was stabbed multiple times, including three times in the back, once in the arm and twice in his left temple with a box cutter.

He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but is said to be stable.

The suspect ran away westbound on East 117th Street. He is described as a male, 5’11” or 6’0″ tall, wearing a black and green jacket.

The incident marks the second time this year that an overnight fast food worker was assaulted. In January, Burger King employee Kristal Bayron-Nieves was shot and killed just around the corner.

“It’s a real danger here about staying open late at night and that’s a big problem and those businesses will have to square that with their employees,” said former NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce. “Five people were working there when this happened.”

McDonald’s owner/operator Bruce Colley released the following statement:

“We are shocked and dismayed by this senseless and unprovoked attack on one of our employees. The safety of our employees and customers is our top priority. We will continue cooperating with the NYPD and supporting our colleague and friend as they recover.”

Local residents said more needs to be done to protect employees.

“They need to put more protection for all these workers because they’re risking their lives,” Elizabeth Rodriguez said. “Make you money, make you rich, so the least you can do is make them safe.”

Tania Hernandez works in a food truck on 116th Street. She says closing earlier would make her feel safer.

“I think we should open a little earlier and then close a little bit earlier. You’ll be seeing crazy stuff around here,” Hernandez said.

ALSO READ | Police: Bronx couple murders roommate after he made noise complaint

Overall, crime is up 61% in the neighborhood so far this year, driven by increases in felony assaults and grand larcenies.

Robberies are up 87% and burglary is up 150%. But many residents say they depend on all night delis and fast food, especially those who work off-hours or multiple jobs.

“I hope they won’t close early because, like, some of these restaurants are places everybody goes to,” East Harlem resident Malik Martin said. “If we have police presence around here, I think crime will go down much, much more.”

But closing early is already in the works at the subway station on 116th Street.

“It does make me nervous to work at night. If we closed a bit earlier, there are more people on the street, so we feel more secure,” subway clerk Rinzi Dorjee said.

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US

Off-Duty NYPD Cop Shot in Foot; 7th Officer Shot in NYC This Year – NBC New York

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An off-duty NYPD officer was shot in the foot in Harlem Saturday evening, and police officials said the department was looking for two suspects wanted in connection to the shooting.

The shooting took place in the vicinity of West 126th Street and Broadway around 4:30 p.m., police confirmed. The officer is in “good spirits” and stable at the hospital, his doctor said Saturday night.

The off-duty officer was departing from a community vigil held at the Manhattanville Houses when “he saw two individuals begin to fire rounds from a gun,” Chief of Housing Jeffrey Maddrey said at a press conference from Mount Sinai Hospital.

Police had not yet identified the two suspects as of the evening briefing, but investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a dispute observed at the complex hours earlier.

Maddrey said the men fled the area as the off-duty officer left the community center at the housing complex. The cop met responding officers and helped provide a description of the suspects when he “realized he was shot in the foot,” the police chief said.

“I’m just making a plea to all of our communities, all of our citizens, our police, we all need to support one another. We have to stop the scourge of gun violence. We shouldn’t have to live like this. We’re not supposed to live like this,” Maddrey said.

The officer is the seventh shot in New York City in 36 days, and comes just four days after another off-duty officer was shot in Queens while driving his personal vehicle to work.

The officer was stopped at a traffic light when the suspects allegedly walked up to his vehicle and knocked on the window with a gun. When he got out of the car, the suspects allegedly opened fire, striking him in the shoulder, before taking off. 

Tuesday’s shooting came as New York police prepared to pay tribute to one of two young officers killed by gunfire while answering a call for help on Jan. 22 in Harlem. Detective Wilbert Mora’s funeral was held Wednesday morning. Jason Rivera was eulogized and posthumously promoted to detective the week before.

The officer, who is expected to recover after getting shot while stopped at a traffic light in Queens, became the sixth NYPD officer shot in the span of a month.NBC New York’s Gaby Acevedo reports.

At a press conference following the sixth officer’s shooting, Mayor Eric Adams called out politicians who he claimed are getting in the way of policing efforts that would reduce the number of guns on the streets.

“A numerical minority is standing in the way of making smart decisions to not only rid ourselves of those who are shooters, but also the guns on our streets. The NYPD is doing their job, 6,000 guns removed from the streets last year, close to 400 since I’ve been in office,” Adams said. “We continue to state it’s time for us to get the help we need…we’re going to do our job but we can only make our city safe if we get the help we need and deserve.”

Three of the six shootings this year happened in Harlem, and one each in the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island.

Thirty police officers were shot across the country in January, that’s according to the National Fraternal Order of Police. Five of those officers died.

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US

Funeral Held for Jason Rivera, NYPD Officer Killed in Harlem

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“I came out today because when anyone else passes away in law enforcement, that hits home because it could be any one of us,” said Mr. Singleton, who served on the force for 20 years.

Detective Rivera’s colleagues in the 32nd Precinct had made the journey to the cathedral before dawn on Friday, walking past a memorial in front of the precinct station that included a toy police cruiser, candles and balloons.

He had been assigned to the Harlem command last May, and was so excited that he double-parked in front of the station house, causing a traffic jam and sending the desk sergeant into a frenzy, Inspector Amir Yakatally, the precinct’s commanding officer, said.

His supervisors quickly took note of the rookie who showed up to work early and signed up for any assignment that got him out on the street. Inspector Yakatally said they predicted that he would do well.

“Jason wanted to be out there, really doing the job and interacting with the public,” Inspector Yakatally said. “He would volunteer for any assignment and step up and take the dirtiest jobs and most difficult tasks given, just for the chance to learn and serve.”

Detective Rivera was one of the youngest officers to die in the line of duty, the same age as Officer Edward R. Byrne, who was shot and killed in 1984, as he guarded the Queens home of a witness in a drug case.

Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell, in a eulogy that was her first major public address since becoming commissioner less than a month ago, praised Detective Rivera and promoted him from an officer to the highest detective rank.

“This has always been a city of lights, and police officer Jason Rivera was one of the brightest,” she said.

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US

NYPD officers remembered for their service after they were fatally shot while responding to Harlem domestic incident

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Officers Wilbert Mora and Jason Rivera, both in their 20s, were shot after encountering someone with a gun after responding to a 911 call about a domestic incident in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood. Mora underwent surgery after the shooter critically wounded him, and his death was announced Tuesday. His partner, Rivera, died Friday during the confrontation.

“Officer Mora and his partner, Officer Jason Rivera, showed courage in the face of imminent danger to protect New Yorkers,” state Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. “Their bravery exemplified their commitment to protecting the city they loved. Both will forever be remembered as heroes who dedicated their lives to making New York safer and stronger.”

Rivera’s character was evident at an early age, said his English teacher, Anthony Voulgarides. “He was self-aware, mature beyond his years,” Voulgarides told CNN. “(Rivera) cared so much about others, appreciated what he had and just exuded this positivity that was such a force in our community.”

Mora was also praised for his heroism, not only for his duty to protect but for being an organ donor.

“Wilbert is 3 times a hero. For choosing a life of service. For sacrificing his life to protect others. For giving life even in death through organ donation. Our heads are bowed & our hearts are heavy,” NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said on Twitter.

Mora “will live on in the heart of every New York City police officer from this day forward,” said Patrick Lynch, the president of the Police Benevolent Association union, adding that the officer “showed us what it means to carry out our mission with courage, skill and humanity.”

New York City’s plan to combat gun violence

The shootings have spurred extensive changes spearheaded by Mayor Eric Adams, a former police captain who took office on January 1. It includes the reintroduction of plainclothes police units, which had been disbanded two years ago.

The officers will patrol in unmarked vehicles while wearing clothing identifying officers as law enforcement, Adams announced Monday, adding that the new unit will be in addition to those already on the streets since August who patrol in unmarked vehicles while wearing police uniforms.

Some critics derided plainclothes units for years as counterproductive and argued they were a relic from the stop-and-frisk era of policing, used instead as a bludgeoning tool that more negatively affected Black and brown communities.

Rivera himself said he joined the NYPD to improve the department’s relationship with his community.

In an undated letter Rivera wrote to his commanding officer, he recalled seeing his brother being stopped and frisked by police.

“I asked myself, why are we being pulled over if we’re in a taxi? I was too young to know that during that time, the NYPD was pulling over and frisking people at a high rate,” Rivera wrote, noting his perception of that policing bothered him.

Later, he said he learned the department began trying to change its interactions with the community.

“This was when I realized I wanted to be part of the men in blue; better the relationship between the community and the police,” Rivera wrote. “Coming from an immigrant family, I will be the first to say that I am a member of the NYPD, the greatest police force in the world.”

The shootings unfolded as the officers responded to a domestic call around 6:15 p.m. Friday, officials said.

A woman called 911 and reported she was having a dispute with one of her sons inside her apartment, police said. Three NYPD officers arrived and encountered the mother and another son, who directed two of the officers to a room in the back of the apartment.

The other son — the suspect — was waiting, and when the door swung open, shots were fired, hitting both officers. The suspect, identified as 47-year-old Lashawn McNeil, was shot and mortally wounded by a third officer when he tried to escape.

Rivera and Mora became the fourth and fifth NYPD officers to have been shot this month, but the only two to lose their lives.

Mayor’s anti-gun plan critiqued

Adams’ plan will expand the anti-violence Crisis Management System to address the symptoms of gun violence as well as add more officers on the streets and reduce desk staffing.

More specifically, the plan will focus on the 30 precincts where 80% of the violence occurs, Adams said.

The mayor wants to tackle the flow of guns into the city after officials pointed out that the weapon used in Friday’s shootings was a Glock 45 stolen from Baltimore.

While the mayor’s plan was praised by some advocacy groups, his desire to reinstate plainclothes units has received some criticism.

On Monday, the Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, The Bronx Defenders and The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem and Queens Defenders joined forces to speak out against the unit’s return.

“Today’s announcement gives the community members who live with the legacy of hyper-aggressive policing no comfort that Mayor Adams’s Anti-Crime Unit will be different from its predecessors,” the groups said in a joint statement. “The Mayor must focus on addressing long standing problems with NYPD’s culture of impunity before he doubles down on strategies that will only perpetuate the harms of that culture.”

Still, the mayor defended the police approach, saying his team has done the proper analysis “and now we’re going to deploy that.”

Adams noted that he asked New York City’s five district attorneys to prioritize gun violence and gun-related crimes. He proposed a weekly meeting between all district attorneys, the NYPD commissioner and the deputy mayor of public safety.

CNN’s Mark Morales, Eric Levenson, Shimon Prokupecz, Dakin Andone, Theresa Waldrop, Rob Frehse, Brynn Gingras, Travis Caldwell and Emma Tucker and Laura Ly contributed to this report.



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2nd NYPD officer, Wilbert Mora, dies from injuries in Harlem shooting

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NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — NYPD officer Wilbert Mora, who was shot and his partner killed while responding to a domestic call in Harlem, has died from his injuries, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell announced Tuesday.

“It’s with great sadness I announce the passing of Police Officer Wilbert Mora,” she said. “Wilbert is 3 times a hero. For choosing a life of service. For sacrificing his life to protect others. For giving life even in death through organ donation. Our heads are bowed & our hearts are heavy.”

The 27-year-old officer, a four-year veteran of the NYPD, was shot in the head Friday night in Harlem.

“Wilbert Mora was a hero,” Mayor Eric Adams said. “He served his city, protected his community and gave his life for our safety. Our hearts are heavy. Our city is in mourning. To his family, loved ones, and brothers and sisters in the NYPD: Your city is standing with you today and always.”

Mora’s partner, rookie Officer Jason Rivera, 22, was also killed.

“True heroes never die,” PBA President Patrick Lynch said. “Our brother Police Officer Wilbert Mora has left us, but he will live on in the heart of every New York City police officer from this day forward. We are called upon to put ourselves between evil and the good people of this city. Police Officer Mora showed us what it means to carry out our mission with courage, skill and humanity. His sacrifice will guide us as we continue that mission, but we cannot succeed alone. We ask you once again to join us. Help us mourn our fallen heroes, and help us carry on in their name.”

WATCH | Pat Lynch: This is a ‘turning point’ in police-community relations

Officers lined the streets outside NYU Langone Tuesday evening ahead of a procession for Mora.

Rivera was the first to encounter the shooter in a back bedroom after his mother called 911 saying he was being problematic.

Funeral plans have now been finalized for Rivera, who will be laid to rest later this week.

Services for Rivera will be held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral with a wake on Thursday from 1-8 p.m. and a funeral on Friday at 9 a.m.

As for Mora, a viewing service is scheduled to be held at St. Patrick’s on Tuesday, February 1, from 1-8 p.m. followed by a funeral on Wednesday at 10 a.m.

“I join all of New York today in mourning the heartbreaking death of Officer Wilbert Mora,” Attorney General Letitia James said. “He was a hero until the end. Officer Mora and his partner, Officer Jason Rivera, showed courage in the face of imminent danger to protect New Yorkers. Their bravery exemplified their commitment to protecting the city they loved. Both will forever be remembered as heroes who dedicated their lives to making New York safer and stronger. I pray for strength and ease for their families and loved ones.”

ALSO READ | Mayor Adams says all city agencies will join fight against gun violence in NYC

In a final act of heroism, Mora fulfilled his wishes of being an organ donor.

“When Officer Wilbert Mora’s family was notified of his passing, his family knew their brave and dedicated son would want to continue to save lives, even in death,” LiveOnNY President and CEO Leonard Achan said. “Officer Mora’s final gift was the gift of life to others in need. He was transferred from Harlem Hospital to NYU Langone Health, where we have honored the family’s wishes for him to be an organ donor hero, so that he may ‘Live On’ while saving the lives of others. We extend our deepest condolences to the families, and friends of both officers, and our thoughts and prayers remain with them at this difficult time.”

Those who knew him were in mourning.

“He was just such a warm, gentle, giving young man,” John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor Gregory Sheppard said. “It’s tragic.”

The news was crushing for Sheppard, who taught Mora in his music theory class.

“I said, ‘Well why do you want to be a police officer?'” Sheppard said. “He said, ‘Professor, I really want to help people. I really want to help people.'”

Sheppard says Mora enjoyed the music class so much he joined the choir, and he remembers one particularly special moment that he re-watched on video when he heard Mora had been shot.

“We were singing a song called ‘Total Praise,’ and there was a line of text that said, ‘You are the source of my strength, you are the strength of my life,” he said. “And while he was singing that, one of the singers from the row in front of him turned around and looked at him, and he beamed a huge smile. So I hope that peace and comfort that he found in that song is comforting him now.”

President Joe Biden released a statement on his death:

“I’m deeply saddened by the loss of NYPD Officer Wilbert Mora as a result of last Friday’s senseless shooting. Today is a sad reminder of the risks the men and women of law enforcement face to protect us, and of the work we all must do to end the scourge of gun violence.”

Mayor Adams has ordered all flags on all city buildings, as well as stationary flagstaffs throughout the five boroughs, to continue to be flown at half-staff as a mark of respect for fallen NYPD Officer Wilbert Mora.

ALSO READ | How to help families of NYPD officers slain in line of duty

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Police shooting: New York City to honor NYPD officer killed in Harlem shooting with funeral service

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HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) — A city reeling from a recent spate of violence prepared to lay to rest a rookie police officer being hailed as an inspiration to his immigrant community, as investigators sought to make sense of a domestic dispute that left another officer “fighting for his life.”

Funeral services for New York City Police Officer Jason Rivera were being finalized, as his comrades in blue mourned the loss of the 22-year-old who joined the force to make a difference in what he had described as a “chaotic city.”

A solemn scene unfolded Sunday with a column of uniformed police officers, as well as a line of firefighters, flanking the streets as a hearse carrying the fallen officer left the medical examiner’s office.

Burial rites were scheduled for Friday, city officials said, while services were to be held Thursday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Rivera and Officer Wilbert Mora were shot Friday night while answering a call about an argument between a woman and her adult son. Mora, 27, suffered a serious head wound, police said.

The medical examiner ruled Rivera’s death a homicide after an autopsy found he died from gunshot wounds to the head and torso.

Mora, who has been with the NYPD for four years, remained in life-threatening condition, Adams said Sunday.

Police say Mora will be transferred from Harlem Hospital to NYU Langone Medical Center.

On Saturday night, Mayor Eric Adams and community leaders gathered outside the 32nd precinct in Harlem for a candlelight vigil for the officers and unleashed an emotional plea to end the gun violence plaguing the city.

“We are going to unite around this issue and we know — some would say 95% of the city is good I say 99% of the city is good,” Adams said. “Let’s weed out that 1%. This is a fight — violence against New Yorkers, that’s the battle we’re in right now. We’re in a battle with a small number of people that believe they will hold our city hostage with violence. That will not happen.”

Details about what led to the deadly confrontation were still emerging.

Officials said a woman who made an emergency call Friday said she was ill and that her son who had come up to take care of her had become “problematic.” Adams said the woman did not specify the problem.

Authorities said three officers went to the apartment after the call came in. The officers spoke with the woman and another son, but there was no mention of a weapon, police said.

When the officers went to a rear room to talk to the man, shots suddenly rang out, striking them both.

Rivera was the first officer in the hallway and was struck first. He fell onto his back. Mora tried to duck into the kitchen during the shooting.

The 47-year-old suspect, believed to be the son, was then shot by another officer, a rookie, who stayed with the mother in the front of the apartment. The officer struck the suspect in the neck and shoulder.

The suspect was later identified as Lashawn McNeil and was said to be in critical condition.

The officers were taken to Harlem Hospital in police cruisers.

Rivera, who was described by the NYPD as a son, husband, and friend, died.

“I am struggling to find the words to express what we are enduring, we’re mourning and we’re angry,” said NYPD Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell. “The pain their families are experiencing is not something anyone can put into words. The three officers who arrived at that scene were doing their jobs.”

WATCH | Commissioner Sewell: ‘Our department is hurting, our city is hurting’

“It is our city against the killers, this was just not an attack on three brave officers, this was an attack on the city of New York – it is an attack on the children and families of this city,” Adams said.

Rivera was a rookie and joined the department in 2020 while Mora joined in 2018.

Officers had previously responded to the apartment for a domestic violence call in August.

McNeil has one prior arrest in New York City for narcotics in 2003 and four arrests outside of NYC, including unlawful possession of a weapon and assaulting a police officer.

WATCH | Witnesses describe deadly police shooting in Harlem

He is believed to have had behavioral problems and posted anti-government and anti-police material on social media.

McNeil was staying with his mother to help her take care of her other son who possibly has a learning disability.

When McNeil came up from Maryland in November, his mother – knowing of his history with guns – ordered him not to bring guns into the house. She later told police she didn’t know he had the weapon.

Police said the weapon used to shoot the officers, a Glock 45, was stolen from Baltimore in 2017.

A licensed security guard said it was taken by her 13-year-old son, who sold it for money. He was later arrested for the theft, but the gun was never recovered.

On Saturday morning, Adams had all flags lowered to half staff out of respect for Rivera.

Adams later visited the 32nd precinct, where Rivera was stationed, and where memorial bunting was hung outside.

During an address in Buffalo Saturday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul echoed a call from Adams for Washington to act on gun violence.

President Joe Biden posted on Twitter that he and First Lady, Jill Biden, were ‘saddened’ to hear about the shooting.

The Associated Press contributed to this story

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NYPD officer Jason Rivera mourned by hundreds in Harlem vigil

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Hundreds gathered for a somber vigil outside the NYPD’s 32nd precinct in Harlem Saturday evening, one day after a crazed gunman killed one officer and critically injured another.

The vigil came after a rookie Officer Jason Rivera, 22, was killed and his partner Officer Wilbert Mora, 27, was critically injured when they were shot by a man in apartment after responding to a domestic incident.

“He was always smiling, a friendly guy,” Officer Victor Guzman of the 32nd precinct said of Rivera. “He was young, 22 years old. It’s a lot.”

Rivera and Guzman went through the police academy together, Guzman told The Post.

“When I’m going through everyone’s academy pictures, he was a very cheerful guy, always smiling. Always happy,” Guzman said.

The crowd spilled out into the street, with some holding candles and others signs of support for the department. A nearby tree was wrapped in a blue ribbon and decorated with red, white and blue candles and bouquets of flowers.

An NYPD officer attends a vigil for slain Officer Jason Rivera outside of the 32nd Precinct in Harlem on Jan. 22, 2022.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT
An NYPD officer is comforted during Saturday night’s vigil.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT
Flowers and candles are placed outside of Harlem’s 32nd NYPD precinct.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT

A police officer from the 115th precinct Queens said he felt it was his duty to attend the evening’s vigil.

“It’s a fellow police officer. It’s the right thing to do. It’s a time to come together.”

The crowd of mourners included NYPD officers and local leaders Mayor Eric Adams and New York State Attorney General Letitia James.

An emotional Adams told the crowd the city was in a “battle” with a small number of people looking to “hold the city hostage with violence.”

”We know some would say 95 percent of the city is good. I say 99 percent of the city is good. Let’s weed out that 1 percent,” Adams said.

New York City mayor Eric Adams speaks to the crowd during the vigil on Jan. 22, 2022.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT
Mourners attend the vigil for officer Jason Rivera on Jan. 22, 2022.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT

Since the new year began, five NYPD officers have been shot on the job.

“We are not going to be intimidated by those who believe we should look down on the men and women who put on their bulletproof vests, stand on street corners protecting children and families as though they should be ashamed of the occupation that they are holding in the city,” Adams said.

“They are not ashamed. I was not ashamed to wear that uniform and they are not going to be ashamed to wear that uniform.  I have the backs of my police officers.”

“I say 99 percent of the city is good. Let’s weed out that 1 percent,” NYC mayor Eric Adams said as he spoke to those who attended the vigil on Jan. 22, 2022.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT

As he did at a press conference outside of Harlem Hospital on Friday night, the mayor pleaded to the federal government to help stop the flow of guns into the city.

Adams’ Chief advisor, Chaplain Ingrid Lewis Martin, told The Post the city has to “do better” against gun violence.

“He went to help a mother who cried out because her son was being violent towards her. He ended up losing his life so now his mother and family mourn,” he said.

“When we know that our children have guns, it’s our obligation to let the police know. When we know our neighbors have guns, it’s our obligation to let the police know.”

Rivera, who grew up in Inwood and joined the force in 2020, said that wanted to join the NYPD to “better the relationship between the community and the police,” he wrote in a letter obtained by The Post. He was the first in his family, who are immigrants, to become a member of the department.

Members of the FDNY were among those in attendance at the vigil for slain NYPD officer Jason Rivera on Jan. 22, 2022.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT
A man places a candle in a roadside vigil in honor of NYPD officer Jason Rivera on Jan. 22, 2022.
DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT

Rivera, Mora and a third officer responded to a domestic disturbance call around 6:15 p.m. on Friday night from a woman who said she needed help with her son.

Authorities said Lashawn McNeil, 47, allegedly swung open a door in the apartment at 119 West 135th St. and opened fire on Rivera and Mora when they approached the bedroom he was in.

A third officer shot McNeil in the head and arm as the alleged shooter tried to flee. McNeil was in critical condition at Harlem Hospital on Saturday, police said.

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