Criminal justice reform in spotlight as NYPD mourns loss of officer

MASSAPEQUA PARK, N.Y. (PIX11) – Many are calling for criminal justice reform after NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller was shot and killed in Queens on Monday.

Guy Rivera, 34, previously spent 10 years in prison on various charges, including assault, drug convictions and hate crime charges, before he allegedly shot 31-year-old Diller, according to authorities.

Rivera is recovering from being shot in the back by Diller's partner. He's out of surgery, and charges against him are pending, police said.

Rivera had another weapon that was found hidden inside his body, according to police sources. Detectives believe that Rivera and 41-year-old Lindy Jones, who was driving the gray SUV they were both in, were casing the area for a possible robbery or burglary.

Jones was out on bail for a gun charge less than a year ago and had more than 20 prior arrests. No criminal charges have been announced against him.

Mayor Eric Adams said that the city is experiencing a three-pronged problem.

"When you combine recidivism with severe mental health issues… and then you add the random acts of violence to that, all of them played out last night," Adams said about the police officer shooting and about a man accused of fatally shoving a person onto train tracks in East Harlem.

A police procession to move the remains of Diller from the medical examiner's office to a Massapequa Park funeral home was held Tuesday. Diller was known by his colleagues as a talented officer who was part of one of the department's elite units – the Queens South community response team.

Diller had 70 arrests under his belt in just the three short years he's been on the job. He leaves behind a wife and 1-year-old son.

A GoFundMe page was started for Diller’s family. So far, it’s raised more than $130,000.

Diller is the first NYPD officer to be killed in the line of duty since 2022, when officers Wilbert Mora and Jason Rivera were ambushed and killed in Harlem.