The contrast between the two leading presidential candidates could not have been more stark on Thursday. Former President Donald Trump attended the wake for a slain NYPD officer while President Joe Biden hosted a glitzy Manhattan fundraiser.
The Republican expressed his deep condolences to the slain officer’s family and called for the nation to return to “law and order.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic incumbent was the toast of the elite as he raised $25 million for his reelection bid. Biden’s gala was attended by a star-studded lineup that included former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
NYPD officer Jonathan Diller was slain Monday during a traffic stop in Queens. He left behind a widow and a one-year-old son, and a large contingent of New York’s Finest showed up to pay their respects, along with Trump.
In brief remarks, Trump told the gathering, “What happened is such a sad, sad event. Such a horrible thing, and it’s happening all too often and we’re just not going to let it happen, we just can’t.”
The former president added, “We have to get back to law and order. We have to do a lot of things differently because this is not working. This is happening too often.”
Today's cover: Trump declares slain NYPD cop’s death must not be in vain after attending wake: ‘Something has to come out of it’ https://t.co/Q1DrtAMi93 pic.twitter.com/jSFqfbDzXk
— New York Post (@nypost) March 29, 2024
Trump flew into Long Island and met with Diller’s widow, Stephanie. He noted that “this particularly great officer, top of his class — he captured a moment. The perfect family has been so tragically altered, forever altered.”
Hundreds of NYPD officers lined up to pay their respects, and flowers adorned the street outside the Massapequa Funeral Home. A light rain covered the sad event.
The traffic stop during which Diller lost his life was described as “routine.” The suspect, Guy Rivera, allegedly opened fire after he was pulled over for parking in front of a bus stop.
The officer was wearing a bulletproof vest, but he was struck once in the stomach below his protection. Diller was rushed to Jamaica Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Diller’s partner returned fire, striking the suspect. Rivera had an extensive criminal history and was arrested 21 times before this week’s deadly encounter.
He was found to have a knife stored within his rectum, leading investigators to believe he intended on being arrested that fateful day.
