Former President Donald Trump has confirmed his attendance at the wake of slain NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller, which will take place on Long Island. The news was announced by Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s campaign spokesperson, who stated that the former president was deeply moved by the invitation to join Diller’s family and colleagues as they mourn his senseless and tragic death.
Officer Jonathan Diller, a 31-year-old married father, was fatally shot while on patrol in Far Rockaway on Monday. According to the police, he was attacked by a ruthless ex-convict and his career criminal accomplice. In a recent interview with Michael Goodwin of The New York Post, Trump attributed the deteriorating state of American cities to the “radical lunatic left” and expressed his concerns about the limitations imposed on local police forces. He also criticized Democrat-run cities for their handling of immigration issues, linking them to headline-making crime sprees, including those in New York City.
Diller, who had more than 70 arrests during his three-year tenure, came from a family deeply rooted in law enforcement. His brother-in-law and cousin are both police officers, and he was considered part of the “real Blue Bloods family,” a reference to the popular CBS series about a family of New York City police officers. Jonathan McAuley, Diller’s brother-in-law, paid tribute to him in a heartfelt online message, expressing the family’s devastation and vowing to care for Diller’s one-year-old son as his own.
Visitation for Officer Diller will be held at the Massapequa Funeral Home on Merrick Road, with two sessions on Thursday and Friday. The funeral service is scheduled for Saturday at St. Rose of Lima R.C. Church in Massapequa, followed by burial at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.
The incident that claimed Officer Diller’s life involved Guy Rivera, who had 21 prior arrests. Rivera allegedly shot Diller in the stomach as the young officer approached the vehicle he was sitting in at a bus stop. It is suspected that Rivera and the driver, Lindy Jones, who has also served time in state prison, may have been planning an armed heist. Other officers at the scene returned fire, injuring Rivera, who was subsequently arrested.
