Funeral for slain NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller set for Saturday morning
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Loved ones of fallen NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller will say their final goodbyes on Saturday morning at his funeral in Massapequa Park.
For the second day in a row on Friday, thousands patiently waited and pushed through their grief to say goodbye to one of their own.
Retired NYPD Officer John Drum returned for a second day, hoping to make it inside.
"I was here yesterday, waited on line, it was at least a half-mile long down the road," Drum said.
There were emotional, tearful hugs among nurses and coworkers of Diller's wife as they rallied support around her and their 9-month-old baby boy.
Over in Queens, in a moving show of support, the Mets observed a moment of silence for Diller before their home opener.
The Milwaukee Brewers and the New York Mets stand on the field during a moment of silence for New York City police officer Jonathan Diller before a baseball game Friday.
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Gov. Kathy Hochul attended the wake on Friday afternoon where she spoke with the officer's family and expressed her condolences.
After that, Reps. Andrew Garbarino and Anthony D'Esposito spoke outside the funeral home and left a message for the Democratic governor.
"The governor should be focusing on fixing the issue of cashless bail in Albany," Garbarino said. "The budget was just kicked to next week. She's got a lot of power. She could fix this."
D'Esposito, a former police officer, was brought to tears when he was asked about burying his own brother in blue.
"I don't think you really ever heal. This is a terrible tragedy," D'Esposito said. "You have a 1-year-old that is never going to have a father again because we continue to allow life long criminals on the street."
Diller was on the force for three years before he was fatally shot in Queens during what should have been a routine traffic stop.
Guy Rivera, 34, was arraigned Thursday with murder of a police officer, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon. He remains hospitalized at Jamaica Hospital and is being held without bail.
The other suspect arrested in Diller's death, 41-year-old Lindy Jones, was charged Wednesday with criminal possession of a weapon and possession of a defaced gun. He is also being held without bail.
Both former President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Eric Adams attended Diller's first wake on Thursday afternoon.
Trump shared a sorrowful handshake with NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban as people waited by the masses outside the funeral home to pay their respects.
"Police are the greatest people we have, there's nothing and nobody like them and this should never happen," Trump said. "I just visited with a very beautiful wife who now doesn't have her husband."
Before the wake, Adams spoke with President Joe Biden.
"I received a call from the president a few moments ago sending his condolences and I will relay the condolences to the family, but we are truly impacted by the loss," Adams said.
A GoFundMe page for the officer's family has raised more than $500,000 and the Tunnels to Towers Foundation announced it will pay off the mortgage of Diller's home.
Diller's funeral is set for Saturday.
ALSO WATCH | The dignified transfer of fallen NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
