Funeral Set For Slain Inwood Officer, Hundreds Attend Procession

INWOOD, NY — The viewing and funeral service for Jason Rivera, the fallen New York Police Department officer and Inwood native, will take place Thursday and Friday at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Midtown.

The funeral information was announced Sunday shortly after a procession carried Rivera from an Upper Manhattan medical examiner's office to his place of rest.

Hundreds of police officers, firefighters, and uptown community members lined the street to watch Rivera's body get carried out of the neighborhood he grew up in.

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The viewing service will take place Thursday from 1 to 8 p.m. at the iconic Manhattan cathedral on 5th Avenue between 50th and 51st Street. The funeral service will happen the next day also within St. Patrick's Cathedral at 9 a.m.

Rivera's Wife Bids Farewell

Rivera, 22, had been on the force just 14 months before he was gunned down during a domestic call between a mother and adult son on Friday.

He became a husband even more recently, tying the knot with his wife on Oct. 9, 2021.

Rivera's grieving widow took to Instagram on Sunday to send a goodbye message to her late husband.

"Fly high my beautiful angel," she wrote. "Yesterday, I visited the locker room where you used to FaceTime me and during your mealtime or right before you had to go downstairs to the muster room for roll call at 15:00."

"Last night was supposed to be your day 5 & you were RDO for the next three days," she added. "We both waited for your RDO's to spend them together. But now your soul will spend the rest of my days with me, through me, right beside me. I love you till the end of time."

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Fundraiser Nears Goal

A fundraiser for Rivera's family and his partner Wilbert Mora, who continues to fight for his life in critical condition, has raised nearly $260,000 in two days.

Originally posted on the platform FundtheFirst, which specifically creates fundraisers for first responders, more than 3,486 people have donated to it in 48 hours.

"I personally worked with Jason in the 32 Precinct and all I can say is that he was an absolutely wonderful person and as a new officer on the job, he was always smiling and excited to go out no matter what his call of duty was," wrote the anonymous creator of the fundraiser. "His cheer will be missed and will forever be in my prayers."

As of 11 a.m. on Monday, the fundraiser is $40,000 away from its $300,000 goal.

Biden Sends His Condolences

President Joe Biden took to Twitter on Saturday to express his sadness over Rivera and Mora getting shot.

"Officers put on the badge and head into harm’s way every day," Biden wrote. "We’re grateful to them and their families for their extraordinary sacrifice."

Jill and I are saddened to hear two NYPD officers were shot last night — one fatally. We’re keeping them and their families in our prayers. Officers put on the badge and head into harm’s way every day. We’re grateful to them and their families for their extraordinary sacrifice.
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 22, 2022

Read More:

• Slain Police Officer Grew Up In Immigrant Family In Inwood
• Police Officer Killed, Another Shot And Wounded In Harlem
• Officer Killed In Harlem Is Identified As Jason Rivera, 22