In a tragic incident that unfolded in Far Rockaway, Queens, NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller, a 31-year-old father, was fatally shot by career criminal Guy Rivera during a routine traffic stop on Monday night. The shooting occurred around 5:50 p.m. at a bus stop on Mott Avenue, an area known for gang activity.
Officer Diller, who had been with the NYPD for three years, was captured in joyful wedding photos just a few years prior. In November 2019, he walked down the aisle with his bride, Stephanie McCauley, exuding happiness and elegance in a black tuxedo. Family photos on Facebook depict the couple leaving the church, surrounded by loved ones, with their joined hands raised in the air.
The slain officer’s dedication to his family was evident in another photo taken this past July, where he proudly posed alongside his infant son as a groomsman at his sister’s Long Island wedding. These cherished moments now serve as a poignant reminder of the life cut short by senseless violence.
Despite being shot in the stomach by Rivera, who was seated in the passenger seat of a vehicle, Officer Diller managed to alert his colleagues by collapsing on the ground and shouting that he had been hit. Showing immense bravery, he disarmed the shooter after the gun fell to the pavement. However, his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead at Jamaica Hospital.
The community has rallied behind Officer Diller’s grieving family, with a retired member of the NYPD scuba team initiating a GoFundMe campaign that has already raised over $28,000 within 12 hours. As of now, no charges have been announced against Rivera or the driver, Lindy Jones, both of whom were well-known in the area and had shared associations.
Rivera, a career criminal with 21 prior arrests and a five-year prison stint for possession of a controlled substance, had a history of criminal activity. Jones, too, had a record of 14 arrests related to narcotics, assault, and domestic violence. In April, Jones faced charges of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and was scheduled to appear at a hearing on the day of the incident.
Mayor Eric Adams condemned the shooting as a “senseless act of violence” and emphasized the ongoing battle between the “good guys” and the “bad guys,” highlighting the dangerous nature of these violent criminals.
