Thousands turn out for funeral of slain N.Y. police detective Jonathan Diller

March 30 (UPI) -- Around 10,000 people showed up in Long Island Saturday for the funeral of slain New York police detective Jonathan Diller.

The large crowd of mourners, which included police officers from across the United States and Canada, gathered at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Massapequa. N.Y.

Diller, a member of the Queens North Community Response Team, was fatally shot by ex-convict Guy Rivera Monday in Far Rockaway.

Rivera's gun jammed after he fired the single shot that killed Diller. He has been charged with first-degree murder for the killing of Diller and attempted murder for trying to shoot Sgt. Sasha Rosen, who was on duty at the time of the killing.

During the funeral, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said Diller was an ambitious officer who took a loaded gun off the streets the day before his death. Caban also announced Diller's posthumous promotion to detective first grade.

"He went toward the danger. He put himself in harm's way. And he did it so that other New Yorkers wouldn't have to," Caban said.

Diller's wife, Stephanie Diller, said she was grateful for the support she and their son Ryan received in the wake of his death.

"I am so proud that thousands of people across the country are calling Jonathan a hero, but the truth is he has always been a hero to Ryan and me," she said. "The rest of the world is just catching up."

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was in attendance, said of Diller, "Even with the acknowledgement that he was shot, he fought and took the gun out of the hands of the person who would take his life."

"Despite all of those interactions with bad people doing bad things to good people, he would don that uniform to go out and continue to fight on behalf of the people of this city," the mayor said.

Diller was buried at St. Charles Cemetary in Farmingdale.