NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — NYPD Officer Wilbert Mora died Tuesday after being shot in the line of duty last Friday in Harlem.
“It’s with great sadness I announce the passing of Police Officer Wilbert Mora,” NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell tweeted. “Wilbert is 3 times a hero. For choosing a life of service. For sacrificing his life to protect others. For giving life even in death through organ donation. Our heads are bowed & our hearts are heavy.”
It’s with great sadness I announce the passing of Police Officer Wilbert Mora.
Wilbert is 3 times a hero. For choosing a life of service. For sacrificing his life to protect others. For giving life even in death through organ donation. Our heads are bowed & our hearts are heavy. pic.twitter.com/8JiWGbUYTn
— Commissioner Sewell (@NYPDPC) January 25, 2022
Gov. Kathy Hochul called his death a “tragic loss.”
“My thoughts are with NYPD Officer Wilbert Mora’s family as they mourn this tragic loss. We will never forget Officer Mora’s and Officer Rivera’s heroism,” she tweeted. “We stand with their families in grief. And we will continue to take meaningful action to make New Yorkers safer.”
My thoughts are with @NYPDnews Officer Wilbert Mora’s family as they mourn this tragic loss.
We will never forget Officer Mora’s and Officer Rivera’s heroism. We stand with their families in grief. And we will continue to take meaningful action to make New Yorkers safer. https://t.co/x1ze4fBqxf
— Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) January 25, 2022
Mayor Eric Adams said Mora was a hero, adding “our hearts are heavy.”
“He served his city, protected his community and gave his life for our safety,” he tweeted.
Wilbert Mora was a hero.
He served his city, protected his community and gave his life for our safety.
Our hearts are heavy. Our city is in mourning.
To his family, loved ones, and brothers and sisters in the NYPD: Your city is standing with you today and always.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) January 25, 2022
“True heroes never die,” Police Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch said in a statement. “Our brother Police Officer Wilbert Mora has left us, but he will live on in the heart of every New York City police officer from this day forward.”
The 27-year-old joined the department in 2018, the same year he graduated from CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a bachelor’s degree. A family friend told CBS2 his family is from the Dominican Republic and he was the youngest sibling.
Today, we mourn the loss of Police Officer Wilbert Mora. At 27-year-old, he was murdered in the line of duty — fighting until the very end. We vow to #neverforget Wilbert and will always honor his legacy of service and ultimate sacrifice. pic.twitter.com/5nxzBNEDQD
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) January 25, 2022
Mora and his partner, Officer Jason Rivera, responded to a 911 call from a woman who said she was having a dispute with her son around 6:30 p.m. Friday on West 135th Street between Lenox Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard.
When they arrived, the woman said her son, 47-year-old Lashawn McNeil, was in a bedroom down a long, narrow hallway. As the officers approached, the door swung open and multiple shots were fired.
NYPD Officers Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora (Credit: NYPD)
A third officer, Sumit Sulan — who was training under Mora — shot McNeil as he tried to flee the scene.
Rivera died Friday night at Harlem Hospital, and McNeil succumbed to his injuries Monday.
Mora was initially rushed to Harlem Hospital, where he underwent two surgeries before he was transferred Sunday to NYU Langone Medical Center.
“Officer Mora and his partner, Officer Jason Rivera, showed courage in the face of imminent danger to protect New Yorkers. Their bravery exemplified their commitment to protecting the city they loved,” New York State Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement Tuesday. “Both will forever be remembered as heroes who dedicated their lives to making New York safer and stronger.”
Rivera’s wake is scheduled for Thursday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, followed by his funeral on Friday.
from CBS New York https://ift.tt/2Izr88c