Donald Trump has attended the wake of a murdered NYPD officer and condemned city officials for freeing the serial criminal who allegedly killed him.
Speaking at the ceremony for Officer Jonathan Diller, 31, the former president said: ‘What happened is such a sad event, such a horrible thing and it is happening all too often.
‘It’s an honor to be here, but this is such a sad occasion. We’ve got to toughen it up, we’ve got to strengthen it up, things like this shouldn’t take place.’
Officer Diller was shot and killed in Queens during a routine traffic stop on Monday, with footage of the incident showing the cop screaming in pain as he died.
The Republican presidential nominee added: ‘We are just not going to let it happen. 21 times arrested, this thug. The person in the car with him was arrested many times.
‘They don’t learn because they don’t respect that police are the greatest people we have, there is nothing and nobody like them. This should never happen.
Trump had posted about Diller’s death on his Truth Social, offering prayers to Diller’s family and appreciation for law enforcement
Former President Donald Trump was seen arriving at a Long Island funeral home on Thursday to attend the wake of NYPD officer Jonathan Diller
Officer Diller was shot and killed in Queens during a routine traffic stop on Monday, with footage of the incident showing the cop screaming in pain
Diller, from Long Island, was just three years into the job and leaves a young widow and child behind
Suspect Guy Rivera was shot at the scene by Officer Diller’s colleague and taken to the same Queen’s hospital as the fatally injured officer
Trump continued: ‘I just visited with a very beautiful wife who now doesn’t have her husband, Stephanie was just incredible.
‘Their child a brand new beautiful baby sitting there innocent as can be does not know how his life has been changed.
‘The Diller family will never be the same, and we have to stop it. We have to get back to law and order because this is not working. It’s happening too often.
‘It’s an honor to be here, but this is such a sad occasion. We’ve got to toughen it up, we’ve got to strengthen it up, things like this shouldn’t take place.
‘It is an honor for me to be here, this is a great family. These are just incredible people that are just devastated. They’ve got a tough road.’
Trump was invited to the event and a campaign spokesperson earlier this week said he was ‘moved by the invitation’.
Trump posted about Diller’s death on his Truth Social, offering prayers to Diller’s family and appreciation for law enforcement.
He also called the shooter a ‘thug’ and noted that police said Diller’s alleged shooter, Guy Rivera, had numerous prior arrests, declaring that he ‘NEVER should have been let back out on the streets.’
Speaking outside of the funeral home, Trump said it was an honor to be in attendance and added that officers being killed was happening ‘all too often’
Trump was invited to the event and a campaign spokesperson earlier this week said he was ‘moved by the invitation’
New York City Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban, left, shakes hands with Former President Donald Trump as he arrives for the wake
A NYPD officer touches a flower arrangement on Thursday before the wake for Officer Diller
Though Democrats outnumber Republicans in New York, Diller’s hometown is a heavily Republican part of Long Island that Trump won in the 2020 presidential election.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, accompanied Trump and told reporters it was ‘a tremendous comfort to the family’ to have Trump visit.
The wake will last for two days, with a funeral mass then taking place at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, also in Massapequa, on Saturday.
On Wednesday, around 1,000 officers lined the streets of the hamlet as his body arrived at the funeral home.
The road leading to the funeral home on Thursday was painted with a thin blue line, a symbol used as a sign of police solidarity, and the road was flanked by American flags and American flags with a thin blue line.
Parked nearby were two pickup trucks with pro-Trump decals and flags bearing his ‘Make America Great Again’ slogan.
Dozens of supporters wearing Trump paraphernalia stood nearby in pouring rain as the former president arrived.
Speaking to DailyMail.com, a woman known only as Donna, who lives in Massapequa Park, said: ‘[Trump] loves this country, and he really wants to help get America back on track.
‘I think it’s so respectful he took time out of his campaign to come pay his respects. He’s here for free, didn’t have to do this.’
Hundreds of fellow police officers lined the streets outside and formed queues to pay their final respect to Diller inside the funeral home.
Donna, seen here on the left, told DailyMail.com she thought Trump appearing at the wake of Officer Diller was ‘so respectful’
NYPD officers are seen here arriving to pay their respects to Officer Diller on Thursday
Hundreds of fellow police officers lined the streets outside and formed queues to pay their final respect to Diller inside the funeral home
Former NYPD officer and fireman Vincent Frankavilla, 78, said Trump appeals to the police because he ‘serves, just like us and regular people do’
R-L – Brody Smith, 19. Nick Lapuama. Wade River, 18. Nick Seafora, 18. Riley Ackerman, 18.
Former NYPD officer and fireman Vincent Frankavilla, 78, said Trump appeals to the police because he ‘serves, just like us and regular people do.’
‘They’re here to help us. Here to die for us. To take chances…. It’s changed a lot since I was serving. The city has changed. When I was 21 and a policeman, it was nothing like this.’
While Riley Ackerman, 18, said: ‘Trump’s kind of stopped his campaign for this, I think it shows a lot of respect.’
Nick Lapuama, 18, felt Trump received such a warm welcome in Long Island ‘because he does things like this.
Lapuama added: ‘It’s that he takes time out of his busy life to come pay his respects to someone who lost their life in the line of duty.’
Brody Smith, 19, added: ‘The police like him because they serve the people, just like Trump. You don’t see Biden over here!’
The wake was set to go on just hours before President Biden hosted a glitzy Manhattan fundraiser.
Diller, a married father of a one-year-old boy, was allegedly shot dead by Guy Rivera, 34, during a routine traffic stop.
Rivera allegedly opened fire on Diller after he ordered the suspect to get out of the car.
Three loud gunshots are heard ringing out as bystanders flee for safety in footage of the incident.
Another suspect, Lindy Jones, 41, was arraigned and charged with weapons possession earlier this week.
Prosecutors said he had been found with a ‘ghost gun’ – meaning its serial number was removed to avoid it being traced – and it was believed he and the shooter were casing out a T-Mobile store.
Rivera, 34, remains in stable condition in hospital after he was shot by the partner of officer Diller in the shooting.
Another suspect, Lindy Jones, seen here, was arraigned and charged with weapons possession earlier this week
The death has sparked a huge response from the police community, with NYPD Commissioner Edward Cavan branding him a ‘hero.’
Commissioner Cavan wrote on X:’Tonight this city lost a hero, a wife lost her husband, and a young child lost their father.
‘We struggle to find the words to express the tragedy of losing one of our own. The work that Police Officer Jonathan Diller did each day to make this city a safer place will NEVER be forgotten.
‘Our prayers are with his family, loved ones, and brothers and sisters in blue.’
New York City Mayor Eric Adams branded the shooting a ‘senseless act of violence’ at a press conference outside Jamaica Hospital.
‘I can’t not say it any clearer: It is the good guys against the bad guys, and these bad guys are violent,’ Adams, a former cop, added.
The NYPD Union demanded that that anti-cop politicians stay away from the wake and funeral of officer Diller, calling out several officials by name.
The NYPD’s Sergeant’s Benevolent Association said City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams ‘and their cohorts should stay home.’
‘They detest cops and have no appreciation for what they do. They should stay home and not pretend they are grieving.
‘They have caused enough heartbreak and destruction,’ SBA President Vincent Vallelong told the New York Post.
Following Rivera’s arrest, it emerged that he has a lengthy criminal history including first degree robbery, illegal gun possession and assaults.
He had 21 prior arrests and previously served five years in prison on drug charges before being paroled in 2021.
Rivera had also been incarcerated from 2011 to 2014 over a first-degree assault charge.
Jones had 14 prior arrests, including a conviction for attempted murder and robbery in 2003 that saw him serve 10 years behind bars.
He had been arrested on gun charges last April, but was released on a $75,000 bail that was set to bring him back to court Monday.
Diller was the first New York City police officer to be killed in the line of duty in two years.