Two years ago, career criminal Guy Rivera shot and killed NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller on a street in Queens while he was doing the job this city asked him to do.
He was 31 years old. A husband. A father. A police officer who understood what the work required of him and accepted it.
On that night, he stepped forward into danger with the same sense of purpose and nobility that defined his career.
This week, a jury returned its verdict. And that not guilty verdict of murder in the first degree landed like a gut punch to the entire New York City Police Department.
It was immediately felt in precincts and detective squads and patrol cars across the city.
With all the evidence presented at trial, it is clear as day to me that this was an act of intentional murder of a uniformed New York City Police Officer.
Mr. Rivera was convicted on all other counts, including aggravated manslaughter, attempted murder and weapons charges, and still faces the possibility of a 90-plus year sentence without parole.
But make no mistake here: justice was not fully served.
Even a significant sentence does not close this gap, because the result in this case does not reflect the seriousness of the tragedy that occurred.
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And it certainly does not resolve the sense that this crime was not fully recognized for what it was.
The jury exercised the responsibility our system places in their hands to weigh evidence and deliberate in private. We do not know, and will likely never know, what was said in that room or how the jurors ultimately interpreted the facts. That lack of visibility is part of our justice system.
But outcomes like this are profoundly painful. If there is any solace in this, it is that the judge, through sentencing, can still ensure that Mr. Rivera spends the rest of his life in prison.
What to know about the fatal shooting of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller:
- Diller, 31, was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop in Far Rockaway, Queens, on March 25, 2024.
- Suspect Guy Rivera allegedly opened fire on Diller on Monday evening after the cop approached the vehicle Rivera was in for parking in front of a bus stop.
- Diller was shot once in the stomach below his bulletproof vest. The married father of a 1-year-old boy was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
- Rivera was wounded when Diller’s partner returned fire. The suspect has 21 prior arrests and was found to have a shiv stored in his rectum during the shooting — in apparent anticipation of being sent to jail again.
- Lindy Jones, the ex-con behind the wheel of the car during the shooting, was also arrested after a second gun was found in his car.
- Mayor Eric Adams has renewed his calls for Albany to address criminal recidivism following the shooting involving two suspects with lengthy criminal records.
For the past two years, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and her office vigorously pursued justice for Jonathan, his family and the entire NYPD, and we thank them for that.
And we will continue to stand with Jonathan’s family. As I told Jonathan’s widow, Stephanie, no matter what happens, this department will always show up for her and her son, Ryan.
We saw that in the courtroom — officers filling every seat, with two overflow rooms beyond it — and it will not end there. We will be there for the birthdays, the anniversaries, and everything in between. That speaks to the power of the brotherhood and the sisterhood of the NYPD.
When a police officer is killed in the line of duty, it is not only a tragedy. It is a test of whether we are prepared to account for what that loss represents.
But the true measure of this department is not how it endures heartbreak, but how it turns heartbreak into healing and healing into hope.
Every day, the men and women of the NYPD carry on Detective Jonathan Diller’s legacy by stepping into situations that are uncertain and often dangerous, moving toward moments that can turn without warning and carrying responsibilities most people will never be asked to bear. They do it because they believe their work has value, and because this city relies on them to act when others cannot.
That belief is shaped in moments like this, and it endures. The job has not changed, and neither has our duty.
Clearly, there are things we can’t control. But what I can say with absolute certainty is that if someone chooses to target those who are sworn to protect them, the New York City Police Department will respond with every resource available to us as we did in this case.
Jonathan Diller understood the risks of this job. He chose it anyway. He held that responsibility deeply, and he met it with courage until the end.
No verdict alters that. No sentence restores what his family has lost.
But there is an obligation that remains — to be clear about what happened and to recognize the cost of this work.
Jonathan’s life and service will remain part of this department. His memory will endure in the officers who carry his work forward, and in a city that continues to rely on them.
May Detective Jonathan Diller’s memory continue to be a blessing.
Jessica Tisch is commissioner of the NYPD.
