New York City Police Officer Miosotis Familia has been laid to rest. Alexander Bonds, who had been in and out of prison for years while reportedly suffering from mental illness, shot and killed her while sitting in a NYPD RV command post on July 4 (via NYT):
About three hours later, with Fourth of July fireworks still going off, Mr. Bonds strode up to Officer Familia’s command post and fired a .38-caliber revolver through a window, killing her with a bullet to the head. She was the first female New York Police Department officer killed in the line of duty since the Sept. 11 attacks, and only the third female officer killed in a combat-type encounter in the department’s history.
The New York City police commissioner, James P. O’Neill, said in a message to officers that she was “assassinated without warning, without provocation, in a direct attack on police officers assigned to safeguard the people of New York City.” And once again the city was plunged into mourning over a targeted police killing that appeared to result in part from a swirl of mental illness and anger at the police, two and a half years after a man with a similar history fatally shot two officers through their patrol car windows.
Officer Familia was a 12-year veteran of the police force and leaves behind three children. She also cared for her mother as well, which was mentioned during the service by NYPD Commissioner O’Neill, who took a swipe at anti-police sentiment that’s permeated the media.
NYPD Police Commissioner is applauded at slain cop's funeral: “Where are the demonstrations for this single mom...why is there no outrage?” pic.twitter.com/11fTjy38Du
— ABC News (@ABC) July 11, 2017
This breaks my heart. Where are the protesters for this fallen officer and her sweet family? https://t.co/K0z1id46Tm
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) July 12, 2017
“Where are the demonstrations for this single mom who cared for her elderly mother and her own three children? There is anger and sorrow, but why is there no outrage?" he said to a standing ovation. ABC News added that Mayor Bill de Blasio managed to stop by after absconding to Germany to protest President Donald Trump days after Officer Familia was murdered. That trip also forced him to miss the swearing in of 524 new officers to the NYPD. So, it should come to no one’s surprise that hundreds of police officers turned their backs when he spoke at the funeral. For what it’s worth, de Blasio said that Officer Familia “died a patriot,” and that "She was murdered while acting as an agent of peace” (via The Hill):
Many #nypd officers turned their backs as #DeBlasio spoke #funeral #MiosotisFamilia @ChasingNews @fox5ny @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/7iJ9vW0Pkr
— Sibile Marcellus (@ChasingSibile) July 11, 2017
A spokesman for de Blasio said he went to Hamburg upon learning that his trip would not conflict with the officer's funeral. But some police officers felt it the mayor should've been in the Big Apple to support the family of a NYPD veteran who had served the force for 12 years.
The Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association head Patrick Lynch blasted de Blasio for his absence.
“The mayor is the compass for the city of New York,” Lynch told the Daily News before Familia's funeral. “And unfortunately, when a police officer got killed, his compass led him to Germany rather than here on the Concourse. He should have been here with the family ... He should have been there with us.”
Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld made his feeling known about de Blasio’s German trip, calling him a horrible, little man-child.
Rest in peace, Officer Familia--and thank you.
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