Thousands of police officers from around the country filled snowy New York City streets outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Friday to pay their respects to fallen NYPD officer Jason Rivera.
Rivera, 22, was killed while on duty last Friday, the New York Post reported. The rookie cop, along with his 27-year-old partner Wilbert Mora, was ambushed in Harlem while responding to a domestic disturbance call. Mora also died from his wounds days later.
“This is an attack on the city of New York,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a press conference following the attack. “It is time for us to save our city. No one will divide this city with their violence.”
As The Daily Wire previously reported, Dominique Luzuriaga, the widow of Rivera, gave a eulogy at the funeral that slammed Manhattan’s District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the city’s leftist policies on crime.
“You know it’s hard being a cop’s wife sometimes. It is hard being patient when plans were canceled or we would go days without seeing each other or when you had to write a report that would take forever because you had to voucher so many things.”
She went on to give a heartbreaking account of how she dealt with her husband’s death. “Dozens of people were surrounding me and yet, I felt alone. I couldn’t believe you left me. Seeing you in that hospital bed wrapped up in sheets & not hearing you when I was talking to you broke me,” she said. “I was lost. I’m still lost.”
Luzuriaga then blasted Manhattan DA Bragg. “You have the whole nation on gridlock. And although you won’t be here anymore, I want you to live through me. The system continues to fail us. We are not safe anymore, not even the members of the service [NYPD]. I know you were tired of these laws, especially the ones from the new DA. I hope he is watching you speak through me.”
Officer Rivera's widow, Dominique Luzuriaga: "Dozens of people were surrounding me & yet, I felt alone. I couldn't believe you left me. Seeing you in that hospital bed wrapped up in sheets & not hearing you when I was talking to you broke me…I was lost. I'm still lost." pic.twitter.com/mmiFEFpVLo
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 28, 2022
Rivera’s death greatly affected his fellow officers at the NYPD and police department all across the country as was clearly shown by the thousands who came to honor him. “This has always been a city of lights, and police officer Jason Rivera was one of the brightest,” Commissioner Keechant Sewell said in her eulogy, according to The New York Times. “Jason rose to every challenge that crossed his path.”
“The horror that took their lives is an affront to every decent, caring human being in this city and beyond. Their assassinations, the dousing of Jason’s thousand-watt smile that lifted the spirits of those fortunate to know him shocks sensibilities and leads others to despair.”