Fallen NYPD officer Jonathan Diller posthumously promoted at funeral service on Long Island
MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. -- Thousands lined up to pay their respects at the funeral for fallen NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller Saturday on Long Island.
There was a sea of blue as Diller's flag-draped coffin was carried into St. Rose of Lima Church in Massapequa -- a tremendous show of support from law enforcement agencies across the Tri-State Area.
Before the service, a long procession made its way from the funeral home in Massapequa Park to the church.
Sadness and sorrow overtook the sunshine as Diller's widow, Stephanie, held their 1-year-old son, Ryan, closely.
During a moving eulogy, her heartbreak was raw.
"With every hug that I've received, I just picture each one is from Jonathan," she said.
Finding the strength, she spoke about the man she fell in love with and married over four years ago.
"He could always make me laugh, and that was one of the things I love most about him," Stephanie Diller said.
She called him her best friend, closest confidant and the man whose family always came first.
"He was a fierce protector of everyone around him. He spoke his mind and wasn't afraid," she said.
As fierce as he was, she says his heart would melt for his son.
"He was so proud of Ryan. Every time he did something new, it was like an explosion of joy from both of us," Stephanie Diller said.
Watch the full funeral
Police say Jonathan Diller was with the NYPD for three years and worked with the department's Community Response Team in Queens. He grew up in Franklin Square and came from a family of first responders, and he lived in Massapequa Park with his wife and son.
"We told him to go out there and make this city a better place to live, to work and to raise a family. That's exactly what he did," NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said.
Police said Diller, 31, and his partner were conducting a traffic stop for an illegally parked car in Far Rockaway, Queens on Monday afternoon when someone in the vehicle pulled out a gun and pointed it at the officers. Police said there was an exchange of gunfire, and Diller was struck in the torso below his bullet-resistant vest.
"Even with the acknowledgement that he was shot, he fought and took the gun out of the hand of the person who would take his life," Mayor Eric Adams said.
Diller was rushed to a local hospital, where he later died.
Stephanie Diller recounted the words spoken by the widow of NYPD Det. Jason Rivera, who was killed in the line of duty in 2022. At her husband's funeral, Dominique Luzuriaga advocated for more protection for police officers.
"Dominique Rivera stood in front of all the elected officials present today pleading for change. That change never came, and now my son will grow up without his father. I will grow old without my husband," Stephanie Diller said.
During the service, Commissioner Caban promoted Officer Diller to detective and vowed to his family that the NYPD will stand by them for life.
Meanwhile, Diller's memory shines bright in Times Square, where a billboard went up in his honor Saturday. The NYPD says the billboard celebrates Diller's life and is a show of support for his family.
Donations for Diller's family have been pouring in from across the area. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation announced it will pay off the mortgage on the Diller family's home, and other organizations have made donations to cover funeral costs and Ryan's future education.
The gunman accused of shooting Diller, identified as 34-year-old Guy Rivera, has been charged with first-degree murder of a police officer, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon. He was also injured in the shooting and remains in the hospital.
The alleged driver of the vehicle, Lindy Jones, has been charged with criminal possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a defaced weapon. CBS New York learned that at the time of the traffic stop, Jones was out on $75,000 bail for a prior weapons offense.
