NEW YORK (PIX11) – As thousands of mourners gave a final salute to slain NYPD Officer Jason Rivera, his widow gave an emotional eulogy at the funeral Friday, talking about their life and the events that unfolded the last day she saw her husband while calling out the Manhattan district attorney for his policies on crime.
“I would say good morning to you all, but in fact it’s the worst morning ever,” Dominique Luzuriaga began, recounting the past week as a nightmare she thought she would never have. “I’m still in this nightmare that I wish I never had, full of rage and anger, hurt and sad, torn,” Luzuriaga said. “Although I gained thousands of blue brothers and sisters, I’m the loneliest without you.”
Rivera’s widow continued to talk highly of the hero officer, but also voicing frustration over new policies on crime by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“We are not safe anymore, not even members of the service,” she said. “I know you were tired of these laws, especially the ones from the new DA. I hope he’s watching you speak through me right now.”
The couple met when they were five years old. They eventually became boyfriend and girlfriend at 15, and then got married three months ago.
During the funeral, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell also honored the slain officer with a posthumous promotion. First grade is the highest rank for a detective in the NYPD.
“Jason rose through every challenge that crossed his path. He was everything this city and the NYPD needed him to be,” Sewell said during her eulogy. “And it is with sincere admiration and appreciation that I promote him today to detective first-grade.”
Earlier this week, Gov. Kathy Hochul said flags at state buildings would fly at half-staff from sunrise the day of Rivera’s funeral Friday until sunset the day of Mora’s funeral, Feb. 2.
Two officers were shot last Friday when they responded to a domestic dispute involving 47-year-old Lashawn McNeil and his mother, authorities said McNeil swung open a bedroom door and opened fire with a 45-caliber pistol outfitted with a modified 40-round clip, hitting both officers in the head.
Rivera died that night, while Mora, 27, was pronounced dead at the hospital this past Tuesday.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
