Former President Trump will attend the wake of an New York Police Department (NYPD) officer killed in the line of duty earlier this week, his campaign announced.
Officer Jonathan Diller was killed during a traffic stop Monday in Queens; he’s the first NYPD officer to die on the job in more than two years. His wake is scheduled for Thursday.
“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,” Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told The Associated Press.
Both suspects in the shooting, the gunman and his passenger, were arrested Tuesday and Wednesday. Guy Rivera was charged with murder, while Lindy Jones was arraigned on illegal weapons possession charges.
Police said Rivera resisted Diller’s demands to exit his car during a traffic stop when Rivera shot the officer under his protective vest. Diller returned fire, hitting Rivera in the back. The officer was rushed to an area hospital but died from his injuries.
Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer, called Diller’s shooting “devastating” and said Tuesday, “These are bad people doing bad things to good people. It’s the good guys against the bad guys.”
Trump has used crime as a political wedge issue, painting American cities as especially dangerous and blaming Democrats for the violence.
Crime statistics have shown that violent crime decreased in much of the country in recent years. Cities of more than a million people saw crime drop by 11 percent last year, according to FBI data released this month.
Diller’s funeral will be held Saturday in New York City.
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