Lindy Jones faces upto 30 years for murder and criminal possession of weapon in Jonathan Diller's death

QUEENS, NEW YORK: Lindy Jones, the suspect who infamously declared to cops "I shoot people" now confronts the possibility of spending up to 30 years behind bars in connection with the death of NYPD officer Jonathan Diller.

Jones, 41, appeared in Queens criminal court on Tuesday, April 16, where he was ordered held without bail on multiple charges of criminal possession of a weapon.

Timeline of Officer Jonathan Diller's shooting

The tragic event occurred during a routine traffic stop in Far Rockaway, Queens, on the evening of Monday, March 25th. Officer Diller, a three-year NYPD veteran and a devoted father of a 1-year-old boy, was fatally shot by career criminal Guy Rivera, 25, while seated in the passenger seat of the car being driven by Jones.

Prosecutors disclosed that the murder weapon jammed after a single fatal shot struck Diller in the stomach, reported New York Post.

Who are Lindy Jones and Guy Rivera?

Jones, also known as 'Killa' faces a potential sentence of 15 years on the current charges, in addition to another 15 years on a separate weapons charge from April 2023, if convicted. He has a history of 14 prior arrests, including allegations of robbery, assault, and attempted murder. Judge Michael B. Aloise ordered Jones to return to court on June 12.

Meanwhile, Rivera, indicted on multiple charges including murder and attempted murder, could face a lifetime behind bars. The gun violence, which transpired within mere feet of Officer Diller, was captured on bodycam footage. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 7.

Jonathan Diller's final moment

According to a police source, Officer Diller, a 3-year veteran of the NYPD who was posthumously promoted to detective, could be heard saying, "I'm shot!" on bodycam footage. The source indicated that Rivera was no more than 2 feet away from Diller when the shooting occurred.

Subsequently, Rivera aimed his gun at Sgt Sasha Rosen, who was present with the injured officer. Prosecutors stated in charging documents that Rosen managed to push the gun away, while the shooter attempted to point it back toward her with his finger still on the trigger. However, the 380-caliber pistol jammed after firing the fatal shot that struck Diller, averting further injuries, as per prosecutors' accounts.