East Rockaway hosts vigil to remember slain NYPD officers

Candles lit up Memorial Park last Thursday as residents, police officers and elected officials gathered in East Rockaway to mourn the loss of two slain NYPD officers.

Dozens of attendees came to the park to pay their respects, many lighting candles to illuminate the night in memory of Officer Jason Rivera, 22, who died on the job after being shot in Harlem on Jan. 21, and Officer Wilbert Mora, 27, who was shot by the same gunman and succumbed to his injury on Jan. 25.

“We wanted to enable our community to gather as a group,” Mayor Bruno Romano said afterward, “to be united as we pay our respects to NYPD Officers Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora.  Our prayers go out to their families in this time of extraordinary sorrow.”

Rivera died on Jan. 21 just hours after being shot by Lashawn McNeil, 47, who opened fire on him and Mora after coming out from behind a bedroom door and surprising the officers as they walked down a narrow hallway in his Harlem apartment. McNeil was shot by a third officer, rookie Sumit Sulan, and died on Jan. 24. Rivera became one of the youngest NYPD officers to die in the line of duty.

The vigil in the officers’ memory began just after 7 p.m. near an outdoor stage at the park, where Romano and other village officials spoke to those gathered from a lectern, and local clergy led them in prayer. Chris Balbi, a singer and area businessman, performed “Amazing Grace” at the ceremony on Jan. 27. The next day, hundreds of people attended Rivera’s funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Mora’s wake was scheduled for Tuesday, and his funeral for Wednesday at the Cathedral, after the Herald went to press.

Hempstead Town Councilman Anthony D’Esposito, a former NYPD detective from Island Park, attended the East Rockaway vigil. He lauded the community for its support of police officers after such a horrific tragedy.

“I can tell you that there is nothing more meaningful than returning home from your tour of duty and coming home to a community that supports you,” he said.

East Rockaway resident Dineen Cilluffo said she was moved by the ceremony.

“It was such a touching vigil,” she said. “I am so proud of our town and how we support our police officers. Two lives cut short for just getting up to do their job. May they rest in peace and God watch over their families."

Stephanie Nostramo said her husband is a police officer and she appreciated the ceremony. 

"It was beautiful and heartwarming to know you're a part of a community that supports law enforcement," she said. "I couldn’t be more proud of East Rockaway's support for the two fallen officers."