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Mourning the death of NYPD officer Jonathan Diller
Fallen NYPD officer Jonathan Diller returned to Massapequa, Long Island ahead of his funeral. FOX 5 NY’s Robert Moses has the latest.
NEW YORK - Former President Donald Trump plans to attend the wake of slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller, who was shot and killed Monday evening in Queens during a traffic stop, officials told The New York Post.
"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," Karoline Leavitt, a Trump spokesperson, said in a statement on Wednesday.
Jonathan Diller and his one-year-old son
Diller – a 31-year-old father, husband and three-year veteran of the force – was murdered after investigating a vehicle illegally parked at a bus stop in Far Rockaway. According to police, a passenger, 34-year-old Guy Rivera, refused to step out of the car, pointed a gun at the officers and fired, police said.
The bullet struck Diller in the stomach, just beneath his bullet-proof vest. Diller's partner returned fire, wounding Rivera, who was taken to a hospital, where he remains in stable condition. Charges against Rivera are pending. The driver of the vehicle, Lindy Jones, was arrested and faces weapons charges.
A vigil for Long Island native Diller will be held at Brady Park in Massapequa Park on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Visitation will be held on Thursday and Friday. Diller’s funeral is planned for Saturday morning.
It is unclear which service the former president will attend.
"You were a good man and a great father whose shoes can never be filled," Diller's brother-in-law, Jonathan McAuley, who is also a cop, posted to Facebook. McAuley also shared a photo with what appears to be Diller's son wearing a shirt that reads, "My Daddy's life matters."
Diller's murder in Far Rockaway on Monday marks the first slaying of an NYPD officer in two years.