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Mother of suspected NYPD killer: 'I wish I could turn back time'
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Mar 26, 2024
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José A. Alvarado Jr. / Gothamist
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Mar 26, 2024
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The mother of a man who allegedly shot and killed a police officer in Queens on Monday night said she wished she could “turn back time” as she worked to piece together what happened.
Keshia Gilyard confirmed to Gothamist by phone on Tuesday that her son Guy Rivera, 34, was in police custody in connection with the fatal shooting of Officer Jonathan Diller, 31.
“I just wish this was all a dream and I could wake up, you know? I just can't believe my son would get caught up in this, I can't believe that,” Gilyard said.
Diller’s death sparked an outpouring of grief among fellow officers, including memorial march scheduled to take place on Staten Island on Friday. It has been more than two years since a police officer was killed in the line of duty.
Mayor Eric Adams began his weekly press conference by observing a moment of silence for Diller. He then spoke of meeting Diller's grief-stricken family at the hospital on Monday night, which conjured memories of his own days as a police officer.
"It's just a senseless act of violence," he said.
Rivera, the suspected shooter, was still at a local hospital on Tuesday, undergoing surgery for a bullet wound he sustained during the shootout.
“I'm waiting for the doctors. I've got to speak to the 101st Precinct, so I can go see my son,” Gilyard said, adding that she heard he was still “heavily sedated.”
Police said Rivera was the passenger in a car that was parked illegally at a bus stop at 1919 Mott Ave in Far Rockaway just before 6 p.m. Monday. Police identified a man named Lindy Jones as the driver, and said he was also in custody with charges pending.
When Diller and his partner approached, police said Rivera pointed a gun at the officers, and they exchanged fire.
Officials said Diller was shot in the torso under his bullet-resistant vest, while Rivera was shot in the back after Diller’s partner returned fire.
Gilyard heard about the incident around midnight, while she was at work.
“I'm trying to speculate in my mind as to what could have happened… my son was a passenger. He was not the driver,” she said. “I don't know how he associated with that guy, but I guess they may have been friends right there.”
Gilyard said her son had a difficult past with law enforcement and had served two stints in state prisons for a variety of charges.
Online records show that Rivera served almost three years at Southport Correctional Facility, an ultra-maximum security prison in upstate New York, for attempted assault in the first degree. Records show he was released in 2014, then re-arrested in 2016 for selling drugs.
He was released in 2021, and his parole expired in 2022.
Gilyard said correction officers assaulted her son during his most recent stint in prison, prompting the family to file lawsuits against the state Department of Corrections.
“They beat him up really bad,” she said, suggesting it traumatized her son long term. “So maybe that could've been something there, I don't know.”
The New York State Department of Corrections did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Gothamist could not independently verify the lawsuit.
Gilyard said her son was working a variety of jobs since his release and was living at his grandmother’s address while she spent time in the hospital.
“I thought maybe he could, you know, just really get some clarity in this life, get some quiet and peace, whatever,” she said. “I don’t understand what happened here.”
Gilyard said she feels terrible for Diller’s family. A GoFundMe page for the fallen officer had already raised nearly $80,000 as of Tuesday morning.
“I'm so sorry that they, as far as his wife and children, are suffering from this, you know,” Gilyard said. “I just wish if anything, I had to go back in time, then I could just talk to my son out of that.”
Elizabeth Kim contributed reporting.
Tagged
public safety
nypd
fatal shooting
eric adams
queens
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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