A Florida community is mourning the loss of a sheriff’s deputy after he was shot and killed by a domestic violence suspect on Christmas Eve.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office announced Cpl. Ray Hamilton, a five-year veteran of the department, was fatally injured when 43-year-old Timothy Price-Williams allegedly opened fire on him from inside his residence. Williams was shot in the arm during the gunfire exchange, but is expected to be OK.
Hamilton, who served on the Special Response Team, died shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday at the Fort Walton Beach – Destin Hospital.
The department said deputies responded to the townhome at 710 North Park Blvd. to present a warrant against Price-Williams for a domestic violence battery charge.
The victim reported that Price-Williams slapped her in the face and shoved her during an argument on Friday. She also said he took her phone away, so she couldn’t call 911 for help.
When deputies arrived at the home around 9 a.m. Saturday they made contact with Price-Williams. He reportedly refused to leave the residence, prompting the Special Response Team to come to the scene.
Around 12:40 p.m., he fired shots out of a window, striking Hamilton, wounds that ultimately led to his death.
Cpl. Ray Hamilton was fatally injured when 43-year-old Timothy Price-Williams allegedly opened fire on him from inside his residence. Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office
Timothy Price-Williams was charged with premeditated murder in the fatal shooting of OCSO Cpl. Ray Hamilton. Twitter/@OCSOALERTS
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Price-Williams is charged with first-degree premeditated murder. He received medical attention for his small injury and was transported to the jail after.
In a statement posted to its Facebook page, Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden said the grief from losing Hamilton is devastating, calling him a “ray of sunshine” who was “dedicated to protecting others.”
“We appreciate the endless stream of words of support that have come in for his family and his co-workers as we face this heartbreaking loss of a profoundly loved and respected friend, public servant, and hero,” Aden said.
Hamilton’s death makes him the 61st officer killed by gunfire in 2022.
The veterinarian who fatally shot two Mississippi police officers in a Motel 6 parking lot was killed by one of the cops who returned fire, authorities revealed Friday, as other new details emerged in the perplexing case.
Amy Brogdon Anderson and Bay St. Louis Police Officer Branden Estorffe discharged simultaneous shots after she first opened fire, killing Sgt. Steven Robin from inside her SUV, Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell told WLOX News.
Both of the latter shots were precise, and all three were found dead in the Bay St. Louis parking lot Wednesday morning. Anderson’s 8-year-old daughter was in the car and witnessed the chaos, but was not injured.
The commissioner divulged several other key details in the case, including why Anderson had been acting so frantically.
“Amy thought that she was being followed and clearly was showing some signs of mental health issues,” Tindell said.
A distressed Anderson had checked into the motel, approximately 650 miles from her Ocean Springs home, at 2:30 a.m. and asked the front desk manager to call 911 an hour later. Robin and Estorffe arrived within five minutes to find Anderson wildly packing her belongings from her room and into her SUV, the commissioner said.
Steven Robin and Branden Estorffe were killed in a motel parking lot Wednesday morning.
Officers spoke with her and her young daughter and were petting the family’s three dogs. Bodycam footage shows that the interactions remained cordial for approximately 30 minutes.
The white truck with plates from another state that Anderson thought was following her just happened to be passing through the parking lot of the motel, according to Tindell. Robin ran a background check on the truck and determined Anderson’s paranoia was unfounded.
The officers became increasingly concerned for the 8-year-old’s safety, so Estorffe walked a short distance from Anderson to call Child Protective Services.
Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said Anderson was killed by Estorffe’s return fire, not by suicide.AP
“It was about that time that you heard a commotion and when he came around the corner Officer Robin had been shot in the head and rather instantaneously he drew his weapon was able to get two rounds off. She got two rounds off striking Officer Estorffe but he managed to shoot her in the chest,” Tindell said.
“Both of them received fatal wounds in that split second.”
Officials initially suspected that Anderson committed suicide after gunning down Robin at close range and Estorffe from about 20 yards away. Robin and Anderson died at the scene, while Estorffe was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Police are still investigating the incident and trying to piece together what led to Anderson’s distress. The only witness, Tindell pointed out, is a very traumatized 8-year-old girl.
Law enforcement outside the Motel 6 where two Bay St. Louis, Miss., cops were fatally shot. AP
Anderson was shot by return fire. AP
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An investigator photographs a body inside a Toyota parked outside a Motel 6 in Bay St. Louis on Dec. 13. AP
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“I don’t know what she saw,” said Tindell, “but she was there.”
Anderson was working as an emergency veterinarian with a focus on small animals at the 24-hour animal hospital MedVet Mobile, her Facebook page said, which also states she is “single.”
Earlier in the year, Anderson wrote about a Hawaiian vacation she took with her three children.
“The kids and I checked another big item off of our bucket list, and we had the most amazing vacation with some added education in Maui, Hawaii!!” she wrote. “It was without a doubt the most beautiful place we’ve ever been, and we packed as much adventure, fun, hysterical laughs, and memories as we could in 6 days.”
Police shot and killed a parolee who was waving a gun around during a fight in upper Manhattan Sunday morning.
Uniformed police officers were at Nagle Avenue and Dyckman Street in Inwood around 3 a.m. when they saw the 29-year-old with a gun involved in a fight and ordered him to drop the weapon, NYPD Chief of Patrol Jeffrey Maddrey said.
“They observe a dispute,” Maddrey said. “As they get closer to the dispute, they observe a male with a gun in his hand fighting in the crowd. The officers exit their vehicle and give commands for the person to drop the firearm.”
Four police officers fired their weapons.Seth GottfriedThe man, who has had “prior contact with police,” was taken to Harlem Hospital, where he died.Seth Gottfried
The officers yelled “repeated commands” and then discharged their weapons, he said.
“They discharge multiple rounds striking the suspect with the gun about the body,” Maddrey said.
The man, who has had “prior contact with police,” was taken to Harlem Hospital, where he died, Maddrey said. His identity wasn’t immediately released.
Police shot and killed a parolee who was waving a gun around.Seth GottfriedUniformed police officers were at Nagle Avenue and Dyckman Street in Inwood around 3 a.m.Seth Gottfried
Another man in the crowd suffered a graze wound, but it wasn’t clear who shot him, Maddrey said.
Four police officers fired their weapons, Maddrey said. They were taken to a local hospital and treated for tinnitus.
Police were unsure what the disturbance was about.
The alleged gangbanger who gunned down two cops at a California motel killed himself after he fatally shot the officers, online coroner’s records said.
Justin Flores, 35, died by suicide on the sidewalk outside the Siesta Inn Motel, where he killed El Monte police Cpl. Michael Paredes and Officer Joseph Santana on Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles County Department of the Medical Examiner-Coroner.
Flores’ cause of death was listed as a gunshot wound to the head. Officials had said Flores died during a shootout with other officers after he killed Paredes, 42, and Santana, 31, inside the motel as they responded to a domestic incident.
Paredes and Santana died from gunshot wounds to the head, coroner’s records said.
After fatally shooting the officers, Flores ran outside and gunfire was exchanged with other cops, officials previously said.
Corporal Michael Paredes (left) and Officer Joseph Santana were both killed on Wednesday.El Monte Police Department/FacebThe two police officers were killed in a shootout while investigating a possible stabbing in the suburban Los Angeles motel.AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu
Progressive LA County District Attorney George Gascón has faced mounting scrutiny over the shooting, with Santana’s mother blaming the prosecutor for her son’s death.
Flores was out on probation at the time of the double homicide after he pleaded guilty to a charge of felony possession of a firearm last year.
Flores’ probation officer requested the alleged gang member return to court later this month, according to court records.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis, call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
Cops in Raleigh, North Carolina, shot and killed a man who was throwing Molotov cocktails outside the police station Saturday, authorities said.
The incident started around 1:20 p.m. when the unidentified suspect began lighting cars on fire in the police parking lot with the incendiary weapons, officials said at a press conference.
“Commands were given to this individual to stop his actions,” Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson said.
“The individual continued to throw multiple Molotov cocktails in the parking lot and eventually towards our officers who were there.”
A burned-out police vehicle is ready to be towed outside the stationhouse in Southeast Raleigh after a suspect threw Molotov cocktails. Ethan Hyman/The News & Observer via AP
Four cops then opened fire on the man, shooting him “multiple times,” according to Patterson.
Officers moved the suspect away from two burning cars and tried to resuscitate him to no avail, police said.
Footage from the officer’s bodycams would be released pending a court order, the chief said.
Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson said the suspect kept throwing “multiple Molotov cocktails” after cops confronted him.Raleigh Police Department / Facebook
The FBI was investigating the incident along with internal affairs, according to police.
The Rev. Al Sharpton demanded that authorities publicly identify the Michigan officer who killed Patrick Lyoya, a Black man and native of Congo who was fatally shot in the back of the head after a struggle, saying at Lyoya’s funeral Friday: “We want his name!”
Sharpton’s comments renewed demands by Lyoya’s family members and activists. He told the roughly 1,000 people gathered that authorities cannot set a precedent of withholding the names of officers who kill people. Police in Grand Rapids have said they would withhold the officer’s name unless he is charged with a crime, which they describe as a long-standing practice that applies to the public as well as city employees.
“Every time a young Black man or woman is arrested in this town, you put their name all over the news. Every time we’re suspected of something, you put our name out there,” Sharpton said. “How dare you hold the name of a man that killed this man? We want his name!”
Mourners at Renaissance Church of God in Christ, many wearing T-shirts or sweatshirts bearing Lyoya’s picture, stood and applauded.
Patrick Lyoya’s mother, Dorcas Lyoya, left, is embraced during the funeral at the Renaissance Church of God in Christ Family Life Center on April 22, 2022 in Grand Rapids.AP
In a statement Friday, City Manager Mark Washington acknowledged the demands and said he would discuss the matter with the police chief and human resources officials.
“Police reform requires evaluating many long-standing practices to ensure our actions are consistent with the best interests of the community and the individuals involved,” Washington said.
No timeline has been set for the discussions or a decision, spokesman David Green said, adding that Washington’s statement was intended to let city residents know “we hear you” and “we’re willing to assess that practice and see if it works or not.”
Patrick Lyoya, who was unarmed, was face down on the ground when he was shot by a Michigan police officer on April 4, 2022. AP
Sharpton noted that Lyoya was killed on April 4, the anniversary of the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., putting Lyoya’s death in the context of the national civil rights movement. He said Lyoya came to America in search of a better life and “ran into an America that we know too well.” He urged those gathered to continue to fight for justice, and called for a federal investigation into Lyoya’s killing.
“We can’t bring Patrick back. But we can bring justice in Patrick’s name,” he said.
Andrew Birge, U.S. attorney for the district that includes Grand Rapids, said in a statement that his office and the FBI had offered help state investigators and local prosecutors and that the Justice Department can provide “consultation, mediation or training assistance.” He said his office will continue to review the facts to determine whether additional federal response is warranted.
Sharpton and civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Lyoya family, have frequently joined with mourners to speak at the funerals of Black people killed by police. Sharpton has eulogized George Floyd, whose death in Minneapolis sparked a national reckoning on race; Daunte Wright, who was shot during a traffic stop in suburban Minneapolis; Andre Hill, who was killed in Columbus, Ohio; and Andrew Brown Jr., who was killed in North Carolina.
Rev. Al Sharpton speaks during the funeral for Patrick Lyoya at the Renaissance Church of God in Christ Family Life Center in Grand Rapids on April 22, 2022. APRev. Al Sharpton acknowledges Kent County Commissioner Robert S. Womack during the funeral at the Renaissance Church of God in Christ Family Life Center in Grand Rapids on April 22, 2022. AP
Crump also called for justice Friday, saying “an unnamed police officer escalated a simple misdemeanor traffic stop into a deadly execution.” He said the issue is one of humanity, and he called on federal lawmakers to pass reforms aimed at curbing systemic racism in policing.
“World leaders can’t condemn Russian soldiers shooting unarmed citizens in the back of the head in Ukraine, but then refuse to condemn police officers shooting unarmed Black citizens here in Grand Rapids, Michigan,” he said. “If it’s wrong that you do it in the Ukraine then it’s wrong that you do it in Grand Rapids.”
After the service, Crump told reporters: “We believe the whole world is watching Grand Rapids, Michigan.”
Community members hold up their fists in unison during the funeral at the Renaissance Church of God in Christ Family Life Center in Grand Rapids on April 22, 2022. AP
Lyoya’s body lay in a white, open casket inside the church before the service began. Once the funeral started, the casket was closed and the flag of Congo was draped over it. Below the casket, a sign bearing an image of the American flag and a photo of Lyoya said: “It’s our right to live,” in both English and Swahili.
Lyoya’s mother, Dorcas, sobbed as mourners filed in to pay their respects, and tears ran down her cheek as music played and a choir sang.
U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, Michigan’s only Black member of Congress, read a proclamation saluting Lyoya’s memory, saying he was an American of great distinction, whose life and legacy would not be forgotten.
“This is personal to me. This is my family. You are my family. This is my community,” she said. “And if I don’t stand up, who will?”
Family and friends cry next to Patrick Lyoya’s casket before the funeral at the Renaissance Church of God in Christ Family Life Center in Grand Rapids on April 22, 2022. AP
Other elected officials, such as Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss and state Sen. Winnie Brinks, were also in attendance.
The funeral program was printed in English and Swahili, and a portion of the service was led by leaders in the Congolese community. Bethlehem Shekanena, whose parents immigrated from Congo, said the Lyoyas came to the U.S. for life, liberty and the ability to pursue happiness.
“We are gathered here today because the promise given to all those who reside on this land, the very foundation of what makes America America — it was broken the moment Patrick Lloya was killed in the streets.” she said, adding: “He did not deserve to die.”
Before the service, mourners were given T-shirts that read “Justice For Patrick Lyoya” on one side and “It’s our Right to Live!” on the other. Some men removed their suit jackets and slipped the shirt on over their dress shirts.
Lyoya, who was unarmed, was face down on the ground when he was shot April 4. The officer, whose name has not been released, was on top of him and can be heard on video demanding that he take his hand off the officer’s Taser.
A person is seen with Patrick Lyoya on the back of their shirt during the funeral at the Renaissance Church of God in Christ Family Life Center in Grand Rapids on April 22, 2022. AP
Earlier, the officer is heard saying Lyoya was stopped because the license plate did not match the car Lyoya was driving. Lyoya, a 26-year-old father of two, declined to get back into the vehicle as ordered, and a short foot chase ensued before the deadly struggle.
“How dare you pull your gun about some car tags?” Sharpton said during his eulogy.
State police are investigating the shooting. The agency will forward findings to Kent County prosecutor Chris Becker for consideration of any charges. He has told the public to not expect a quick decision.
Attorneys for the Lyoya family have said they believe video collected and released by police shows Lyoya was resisting the officer, not fighting him. His parents have called the shooting an “execution.”
Shattered relatives of the young black father fatally shot by a Michigan police officer want the cop to be fired and prosecuted, insisting Patrick Lyoya was killed “like an animal” during a traffic stop.
Lyoya, a 26-year-old native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was shot in the back of the head by a white officer while face-down on a patch of grass on April 4 during a struggle over the cop’s Taser in Grand Rapids.
Lyoya’s grieving parents, Peter and Dorcas Lyoya, who took their six children from Congo to escape unrest in 2014, called for the officer to be identified, prosecuted and terminated during an emotional press conference Thursday, the Washington Post reported.
“My life has come to the end,” Peter Lyoya said through an interpreter. “My life was Patrick, my son. I was thinking that Patrick would take my place. And to see that my son has been killed like an animal by this police officer, and to see this video they showed, I see that I have no life.”
Peter Lyoya says his life has come to an end after the death of his son, Patrick.AP/Anna NicholsPatrick was face-down on the ground when he was fatally shot in the head by a Grand Rapids police officer after resisting arrest on April 4, 2022. Grand Rapids Police Department/ADorcas Lyoya said before emigrating to America, she couldn’t believe “there can be execution-style” in the country.Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom has released four videos of the fatal encounter that began when Lyoya, who was unarmed, was stopped for driving a car with a license plate that didn’t match the vehicle.
One clip showed Lyoya exiting the car, ignoring the officer’s commands, and trying to flee. He then tried to grab the cop’s stun gun during a struggle that lasted about 90 seconds before he was shot after the officer ordered him to “drop the Taser,” footage shows.
The unidentified officer, a seven-year department veteran, has been placed on paid leave as state investigators probe the shooting.
Lyoya’s family was joined Thursday by prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who said the footage clearly showed the officer displayed “unnecessary [and] excessive” use of force during the encounter.
“And his mother and father and their family are asking that the state attorney charge him to the full extent of the law for killing their son, for breaking their hearts, for making his young children orphans,” Crump told reporters Thursday. “Equal justice requires it.”
Hundreds of protesters descended upon Grand Rapids police headquarters after department officials released footage of the deadly traffic stop Wednesday. Demonstrators chanted “Black lives matter” and “Name the killer cop” during the peaceful but pointed rally, the Washington Post reported.
Patrick Lyoya was unarmed when he was stopped for driving a car with a license plate that didn’t match the vehicle.Scott Olson/Getty ImagesGrand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom has released four videos of the fatal encounter. AP/Grand Rapids Police DepartmentPeter said his son was “killed like an animal.”Bill Pugliano/Getty Images
Dorcas Lyoya, meanwhile, said she thought her family could finally breathe easy after escaping war and persecution in Africa upon arriving in the US eight years ago, according to the Detroit Free Press.
“They told us that in America, there’s peace, there’s safety, you’re not going to see killing anymore, that it was basically a safe haven,” she said through a translator.
The parents, mourning the loss of their first-born son and father of two, then shifted their attention back to the unnamed officer who shot him, saying he was “supposed to be protecting” Patrick.
Patrick Lyoya’s death has sparked several rallies against police brutality.Daniel Shular/The Grand Rapids Press via APThe Lyoyas said the officer who killed their son was “supposed to be protecting” him.REUTERS/Rebecca CookThe Lyoyas are planning to file a lawsuit for the deadly shooting.REUTERS/Rebecca Cook
“I didn’t believe that … there’s a genocide in this country,” Peter Lyoya said. “I didn’t know that here in America, there can be execution-style … to be killed by the police officer.”
The Lyoyas said Thursday they planned to file a lawsuit in connection to the deadly shooting, likely in federal court, according to the Washington Post.
Two men have been charged in the shooting death of an off-duty Texas deputy who was gunned down after leaving a grocery store Thursday night and a third male is being sought, authorities said Friday.
Joshua Stewart, 23, and Fredarius Clark, 19, are both charged with capital murder in connection with the death of Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Almendarez.
The deputy had just come out of a Joe V’s Smart Shop with his wife when he saw a Nissan Altima backed up to his truck and two males under the truck, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said.
“Possibly a catalytic converter that was being stolen,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said at a news conference Thursday night. “We’re not sure. Those details are still being investigated. But, he intervened. He intervened to try to stop a crime.”
Almendarez, 51, told his wife to go somewhere safe and he approached the suspect vehicle, which by then had three people inside, authorities said.
The #FBI sends our condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Senior Deputy Darren Almendarez. He served the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (@HCSOTexas) for 23 years—about seven of which were spent serving on the Bureau’s Safe Street Task Force. pic.twitter.com/WRx7yjnL30
— FBI (@FBI) April 1, 2022
As he walked over, he was fired upon and struck multiple times. The deputy managed to return fire and shot at least two suspects,
They then fled the parking lot. Almendarez was taken to a hospital where he later died.
Stewart and Clark arrived at a hospital in the suspect vehicle a short time later with gunshot wounds, authorities said. A third male described as between 17 and 19 years of age is being sought by investigators for questioning.
Joshua Stewart (right) and Fredarius Clark (right) are charged with capital murder for the death of Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Almendarez.Harris County Sheriff’s OfficeLaw enforcement officers investigate the scene where Harris County Sheriff Darren Almendarez was killed on March 31, 2022 in Houston. AP
Almendarez, a 23-year veteran of the sheriff’s office who was most recently assigned to the auto theft division, was remembered Thursday night as a “fighter.” He was recently the focus of a sheriff’s office spotlight video where he offered steps to avoid buying a stolen vehicle and other tips.
At the time of his death, he had purchased groceries and was planning to have a cookout to celebrate his sister’s birthday Friday, Gonzalez said.
A Texas deputy constable was shot dead by a suspect who wrestled his service weapon away at a Houston shopping mall where the officer was working an extra job.
Deputy Constable Neil Adams was killed just before 4 p.m. as he responded to a disturbance inside one of the stores at the PlazAmericas Mall, the Houston Police Department said.
“There was some kind of altercation with a suspect,” said Houston Police Chief Troy Finner. “The suspect was able to gain control of his gun … very sadly, shot it.”
Deputy Neil Adams was shot and killed Wednesday.KHOUDeputy Neil Adams was working an off-duty security job at the Houston mall.Michael Wyke/Houston Chronicle via APDeputy Constable Neil Adams had served with the San Jacinto County Constable Precinct 1 since 2012.Michael Wyke/Houston Chronicle via AP
Finner said that after the shooting, police responded and found the suspect in the food court.
“He had a sharp-edged weapon aimed at the officers,” Finner said. “Two officers fired upon him, striking him. The suspect later died at the hospital.”
Police have not released the identity of the deceased shooter, but said he was 35 years old.
Deputy Neil Adams was responding to a disturbance inside one of the stores at the PlazAmericas Mall.KHOUDeputy Neil Adams was fatally shot by a man who gained control of the officer’s gun.Michael Wyke/Houston Chronicle via APPolice found the suspect in the food court.Michael Wyke/Houston Chronicle via AP
Adams had served with the San Jacinto County Constable Precinct 1 since 2012. He was the environmental officer for all of Harris County, said his boss, Constable Roy Rogers.
“We lost one of our heroes,” said Rogers. “He was a good man. He worked hard (to) take care of his family … to take care of the constituents of our county. Y’all please pray for Deputy Constable Adams’ family.”
Speaking outside the hospital where her husband died, Adams’ widow asked for prayers.
Family members of Neil Adams listen to a news conference, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, at Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center in Houston. Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via APDeeDee Adams, whose husband was killed Wednesday afternoon, speaks during a press conference, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022.Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via APDeeDee Adams and her father-in-law are escorted by Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and Houston Police Chief Troy Finner as they walk to a press conference, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022.Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP
“I just wanted to say that my husband always said that you can either be a sheep or a sheep dog, and I want everybody to pray for all the sheep dogs out there that are protecting everybody … that get a bad rap, and they just want to protect,” said DeeDee Adams. “That’s what they want to do in their heart, and everybody’s turned their back on them, and everybody should pray for all of them because they’re here for you.”
Manhattan funeral arrangements were announced Saturday for slain NYPD Officer Jason Rivera, as union leaders urged New Yorkers to attend the services to “send a message” to would-be killers in the city.
Rivera, who was gunned down during a domestic call Friday, will be mourned at St. Patrick’s Cathedral Thursday and Friday.
A wake will be held for the 22-year-old Washington Heights native from 1-8 p.m. at the massive Midtown house of worship on Jan. 27, followed by funeral services at 9 a.m. the following day, the NYPD said.
Rivera’s partner Wilbert Mora, 27, continued to fight for his life at Harlem Hospital Saturday after the two were ambushed by paroled felon Lashawn McNeil during a domestic call.
Rivera, a married father of one, had just joined the force 14 months ago. His death sent shockwaves across New York, with Mayor Eric Adams declaring the violence “an attack on our city.”
A wake for Officer Jason Rivera is planned for Jan. 27 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan.Getty ImagesPBA President Patrick Lynch (center) implored the public to attend the service for the fallen officer to “send a message to anyone that dares to harm a New York City police officer.”AP
Pat Lynch, president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, the NYPD’s largest union, implored everyday New Yorkers to attend Rivera’s service on Friday to show solidarity with the department’s 36,000 uniformed members.
“It can’t be just us,” he said. “The streets can’t just be full of New York City police officers at this funeral. The public has to come. The public has to send a message to anyone that dares to harm a New York City police officer. Not here, not now, not today, not to us. We are humbly asking you to come out and help us.”
Many members of the public had already dug into their pockets to show their support for Rivera and Mora. An online fundraiser for their families had garnered $135,000 by Saturday night.
