Thousands mourn slain NYPD officer at Catholic funeral
Thousands of mourners lined the streets of the New York suburb of Massapequa on Long Island on Holy Saturday for the Catholic funeral of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller, who was killed while on duty during a traffic stop last Monday.
The 31-year-old officer left behind his wife, Stephanie, and 1-year-old son, Ryan.
“The city is mourning a cop. The tens of thousands of police officers outside are mourning a brother in arms. But Stephanie and Ryan are mourning their everything,” said Father Michael Duffy, who presided over the marriage of the Dillers in 2019, in his homily for the funeral service, held at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church.
Coverage of the officer’s death dominated local news throughout Holy Week. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered flags throughout the state to be flown at half-staff in the officer’s honor. Parishes throughout Long Island remembered Diller in their Prayers of the Faithful at Masses.
Diller, a three-year veteran police officer, was killed as he and his partner investigated an illegally parked car. After refusing to exit the car at Diller’s request, a passenger in the car, 34-year-old Guy Rivera of Queens, allegedly opened fire, striking Diller in the stomach just below his bullet-proof vest. He died later at a local hospital. Diller’s partner returned fire and wounded the suspect, who was treated at the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
