Lindy Jones, 41, was awaiting arraignment in Queens criminal court for his suspected role in Monday’s shooting of Officer Jonathan Diller, the first New York City police officer killed in the line of duty in two years.
Police said Jones was behind the wheel of an SUV that was illegally parked at a bus stop in the Far Rockaway neighborhood shortly before 6 p.m. Monday when Diller and his partner approached the vehicle.
Police officials said the man in the SUV’s passenger seat refused Diller’s orders to get out of the vehicle and shot Diller under his protective vest.
“He was given a lawful order numerous times to step out of the car,” Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a news conference after the shooting. “He refused. And when the officers took him out of the car, rather than stepping out of the car, he shot our officer.”
The 31-year-old Diller, who was married and had a 1-year-old son, was rushed to a hospital but could not be saved.
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Diller’s partner returned fire, hitting the gunman in the back, police said. The suspected gunman remained hospitalized Wednesday and had not been formally charged.
Jones was arrested on charges of criminal possession of a gun and defacement of a gun after a second loaded firearm was found in the SUV, police said. Jones was awaiting arraignment Wednesday afternoon and the district attorney’s office did not provide any information on who was representing him as an attorney.
Diller, who joined the police department three years ago, lived in Massapequa Park on Long Island with his wife, Stephanie, and their son, Ryan.
Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer, called Diller’s shooting “devastating” and said Tuesday, “These are bad people doing bad things to good people. It’s the good guys against the bad guys.”
Diller’s funeral Mass is planned for Saturday at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Massapequa.
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