Jonathan Diller: Bodycam footage reveals final moments of slain NYPD cop during traffic halt

Warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised

QUEENS, NEW YORK: The harrowing final moments of NYPD officer Jonathan Diller were captured in bodycam footage, shedding light on the events that led to his untimely demise.

Diller, a 31-year-old married new father, was shot during a routine traffic stop near Far Rockaway, Queens on Monday evening, March 25.

Insights into shooting of Officer Jonathan Diller

As part of a three-person NYPD Community Response Team, Diller spotted a Kia Soul illegally parked at a bus stop shortly before 6 p.m. on Monday. Dressed in his modified CRT uniform, the fallen officer approached the passenger side of the vehicle where career criminal Guy Rivera, 34, was seated, while his partner engaged with ex-convict Lindy Jones, 41, behind the wheel.

An instinctual unease prompted Diller's scrutiny of the situation, suspecting potential criminal activity. “The cop had very good instincts,’’ the source stated. “We believe they interrupted something, we just don’t know what. There’s something about the car sitting there that draws this cop to it. It’s possible they were casing somebody or something on that commercial strip."

Eyewitnesses' testimonies of encounter

The refusal of the individuals in the car to comply with requests heightened tensions, leading to a confrontation. Despite repeated efforts to defuse the situation, Rivera fired a single shot, striking Diller in the stomach, just below his bulletproof vest.

“I’m shot!’’ Diller's voice can be heard on the bodycam video, as reported by the source. The distance separating the shooter and the late officer was reported to be no greater than 2 feet, according to the source. "I saw the fire from the muzzle of the gun," shared a local resident. “[Diller] was crying and writhing in pain. He was just yelling. It was scary,” recounted the witness.

Witnesses recounted the chaos that ensued as the wounded officer's partner fired back, with bullets narrowly missing Jones and striking Rivera. Amid the turmoil, fellow officers rushed to Diller's aid, transporting him to Jamaica Hospital as his condition deteriorated.

“Everybody was tense, everybody was scared, everybody was sad,” the anonymous remarked. “[Diller’s] partner was very emotional. He was crying. I’d say four or five other cops were crying.”

Another witness, Deon Peters, who operates a nearby real estate office, shared, "The partner was upset. He was crying for his boy. He was saying, ‘He got a kid, he got family.”

Initially responsive after the shooting, Diller's condition deteriorated "towards the end," as noted by the witness. “It took six or seven cops to get him in one of their vehicles. They didn’t wait for the ambulance. One cop hopped in the driver’s seat, another one went in the passenger seat, and they sped away with him. The partner was holding the suspect down, but he was still crying and stuff. The sergeant came and relieved him.”

Community calls for justice and accountability

In a commendable move, the officers hastily transported the dying officer to the hospital despite traffic delays, earning praise from higher-ups. "They did the right thing," affirmed a high-ranking source.

As members of the NYPD's CRT, they typically focus on issues like illegal license plates and window tints. Meanwhile, Rivera remained hospitalized, while Jones was held for questioning at the 101st Precinct in Queens, with no charges filed against either individual.

Expressing distress over the incident, an unnamed local witness remarked, “Over a traffic stop? It shouldn’t come to this,” he claimed. “Justice needs to be served for the officer’s family. Another thing that gets me mad is you have a gun, you don’t want to go back to jail, then put it down, don’t use it, or take your punishment for having it. You were stupid enough to have a gun, let them take it, and go to jail, it’s as simple as that.”

Mayor Eric Adams expressed profound concern over the escalating recidivism problem. "Bad guys no longer fear the police," Adams said. "They feel emboldened to do whatever they want. The foundation of the public-safety apparatus is dissolving in front of our eyes."