In a stark illustration of the dire consequences of Democrat-supported lenient policies on crime, authorities have disclosed that a gunman responsible for the tragic death of a New York City police officer had been arrested a staggering 21 times, including for a gun-related offense.
According to National Review, Guy Rivera, 34, stands accused of fatally shooting an officer from the New York Police Department (NYPD) on Monday night.
"…(COP KILLER GUY)RIVERA…ARRESTED BY NYPD 21 TIMES, including for NINE FELONIES, police sources said…released from prison in 2021 after serving nearly five years for CRIMINAL SALE OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE(DRUG DEALER)…locked up for ASSAULT in 2011…released in 2014…" pic.twitter.com/OaHsJNyfvf
— Paul J. Varnagy (@varnagypaul) March 26, 2024
The incident unfolded when Officer Jonathan Diller and his partner were investigating a vehicle parked illegally in Far Rockaway. Diller instructed Rivera, who was seated in the passenger seat, to exit the vehicle, which was unlawfully parked at a bus stop on Mott Avenue.
Initially reluctant to comply, Rivera brandished a firearm and opened fire at Diller, striking him below his ballistic vest in the torso, as described by Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban.
Rivera has a history of arrests and charges, including first-degree robbery, illegal possession of a firearm, and selling narcotics to an undercover officer. His criminal record also includes previous arrests for two violent assaults and drug possession. He was released on parole in 2021.
In response to the shooting, Diller’s partner, Veckash Khedna, returned fire, injuring Rivera, who is currently hospitalized in stable condition at Jamaica Hospital. Legal proceedings against Rivera are pending.
Lindy Jones, the driver of the vehicle, is being held for questioning at the 101st Precinct in Queens, as reported by the NY Post.
Officer Diller, aged 31, leaves behind a wife and a one-year-old son.
DISBAND THE NYS PAROLE BOARD:
Cop killer, Guy Rivera, suspect who killed NYPD cop, had 20+ prior felony/gun arrests: NYC Mayor https://t.co/1UrJtQEO5d— Blue Lives Matter 💎 (@RetiredNYCPD) March 27, 2024
“What began as a routine traffic stop quickly escalated into a tragedy that has profoundly affected countless lives,” wrote Diller’s brother-in-law, Jonathan McAuley, in a Facebook post.
During his three-year tenure with the NYPD, Diller made over 70 arrests, according to Fox 5 New York.
Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer, expressed profound grief during a press briefing, stating, “We have lost one of our own today, and the pain is immeasurable.”
This incident marks the first line-of-duty fatality of an NYPD officer in two years, following the tragic ambush of Officers Wilbert Mora and Jason Rivera, who were responding to a domestic incident call in Harlem in 2022.
