Teacher fired after suggesting 'reciprocity' against NYPD gathered to mourn murdered detective Jason Rivera: '5/30/20: NYPD SUV drives into a crowd of protestors. Ideal conditions for reciprocity.'



A New York City math teacher is out of a job after he created an Instagram post suggesting "reciprocity" against NYPD officers gathered in the city to mourn the death of NYPD Detective Jason Rivera.

Rivera was killed last week during an ambush-style attack while responding to a domestic incident in the city.

What are the details?

Chris Flanigan, who worked at Brooklyn's Coney Island Prep, created the post in response to the massive crowd of officers that lined the city's streets to honor Rivera for his ultimate sacrifice.

He shared a snapshot of the myriad officers paying tribute to Rivera and captioned it, "5/30/20: NYPD SUV drives into a crowd of protesters. Ideal conditions for reciprocity."

Flanigan was apparently referring to a 2020 incident that took place following George Floyd's murder in which an NYPD vehicle drove through a group of Brooklyn protesters who were demonstrating against police.

At the time, former NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea insisted that the officers were not using the SUV to harm protesters, and then-NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said that protesters should have moved out of the way.

No injuries were reported at the time.

Flanigan's post quickly went viral, and law enforcement officials who caught wind of the math teacher's quip found themselves at a loss over the remarks.

“For a school teacher to condone an act of terrorism is reprehensible. I wouldn’t want him giving my own children instruction of any kind,” an unnamed Manhattan police officer told the Post for its reporting on the incident.

A Brooklyn officer added, "You have a city worker wishing physical harm or worse to fellow city workers during a solemn service. It is the ultimate act of cowardice.”

What did the school say?

The school on Sunday said that Flanigan is no longer employed at the school.

Coney Island Prep CEO Leslie Bernard Joseph issued a statement on Flanigan's termination and said, "We do not condone or promote violence of any sort. As of this afternoon, Mr. Flanigan is no longer employed at Coney Island."

“The teachers and staff of Coney Island Prep are public servants; and like all public servants we hold ourselves to a much higher standard,” Joseph added. “We work hard to serve the young people in our community, and we know our police officers do as well, taking innumerable risks, to keep our city safe.”

Flanigan on Sunday told the New York Post that he'd been facing death threats ever since posting the now-deleted Instagram Story.

He added that the message was "misconstrued" and pointed out that he was only trying to convey a message of police "vulnerability."

“I respect the NYPD. I do not condone violence,” he told the outlet. “A 22-year-old police officer murdered in the line of duty is reprehensible. I’m devastated by that.”

Flanigan wasn't the only one to poke the hornet's nest this weekend: On Saturday, New York City-based actress Jacqueline Guzman was removed from her theater company after commenting that street closures due to the large gathering of police officers were ”f***ing ridiculous.”

Actress fired over viral video ranting about street closures for slain NYPD officer: 'This is f***ing ridiculous'



A New York City actress was abruptly fired after she complained on social media about the inconvenience of road closures in Manhattan as the New York Police Department honored slain officer Jason Rivera.

What happened?

According to the New York Post, actress Jacqueline Guzman lost her acting job after posting a video online Friday ranting about road closures during Rivera's funeral.

"We do not need to shut down most of Lower Manhattan because one cop died for probably doing his job incorrectly. They kill people who are under 22 every single day for no good reason and we don’t shut down the city for them," Guzman said in the video as she walked down the street while wearing a face mask.

"Like this is f***ing ridiculous. This is f***ing ridiculous. What if somebody is having a heart attack in this area. Nobody can get to them because it’s all blocked off for one f***ing cop," Guzman added.

Guzman has since deleted the video from the internet, as well as her other social media accounts. However, the video was reposted by other people who shared it across social media.

Content Warning: Strong language:

Complaining about the Officer Rivera\u2019s funeral on 5th Ave NYCpic.twitter.com/n08Te6OaaB
— Blue Lives Matter \ud83d\udc8e (@Blue Lives Matter \ud83d\udc8e) 1643485649


Face to Face Films, a theatre and film company that employed Guzman, posted a statement Saturday on Facebook explaining that Guzman had been fired over the video.

"Face to Face Films has just been made aware of an insensitive video involving one of our members, Jacqueline Guzman," the statement said. "Face to Face Films does not support nor can condone these comments made about fallen Officer Rivera."

"As a result, she is no longer a member of our company," the statement added.

Anything else?

As thousands of NYPD officers mourned Rivera's death on Friday, his young widow, Dominique Luzuriaga, made headlines after she blasted new Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

"The system continues to fail us. We are not safe any more, not even the members of the service," she said, according to the New York Daily News. "I know you were tired of these new laws, especially the ones from the new DA. I hope he’s watching you speak through me right now."

WATCH: Thousands Of Officers Fill NYC Streets To Honor Slain 22-Year-Old Cop Jason Rivera

Law enforcement officers braved the snow to stand together in Rivera's honor, filling Fifth Avenue in an awe-inspiring display.

'I hope he's watching': Widow of slain NYPD officer slams Manhattan DA in emotional eulogy, says, 'We are not safe any more'



The grieving widow of a slain New York City Police Department officer called out Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg over his soft-on-crime approach during her husband's eulogy Thursday.

What happened?

Speaking in front of a packed crowd at St. Patrick's Cathedral gathered for Jason Rivera's funeral service, Dominique Luzuriaga memorialized her hero husband before rebuking the city prosecutor for failing to protect him and others who wear the uniform.

"The system continues to fail us. We are not safe any more, not even the members of the service," she said, according to the New York Daily News. "I know you were tired of these new laws, especially the ones from the new DA. I hope he’s watching you speak through me right now."

The cathedral, whichad remained quiet out of respect for the fallen officer, erupted in loud applause in response to her strong words.

WATCH: Widow of @NYPDnews officer Jason Rivera slams @ManhattanDA though not by name: "We are not safe anymore. Not even the members of the service. I know you were tired of these laws, especially the ones from the new DA. I hope he's watching you speak through me right now."pic.twitter.com/zHPQ1scMgy
— Jackson Richman (@Jackson Richman) 1643386230

“I’m sure all of our blue family is tired too,” she added. “But I promise, we promise, that your death won’t be in vain.”

What's the background?

Rivera, 22, and his partner Officer Wilbert Mora, 27, were ambushed while responding to a domestic violence incident in Harlem last Friday.

They had received a call from 47-year-old Lashawn McNeil's mother, who told officers she was in a dispute with her son. Then, when they entered the house, McNeil opened fire on the two officers.

Rivera was pronounced dead at the scene. Mora was rushed to the hospital, where he died three days later.

Tonight, we mourn the loss of a hero officer \u2014 a son, husband, and friend. Only 22 years old, Police Officer Jason Rivera was murdered in the line of duty. We vow to #NeverForget Jason as his fellow Finest vow to honor his tremendous legacy of service & the ultimate sacrifice.pic.twitter.com/5zsx45XiM4
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPD NEWS) 1642830430

Mora and Rivera “were dedicated, courageous and compassionate officers, loved by many. The pain their families feel is immeasurable. We pray for them; we will be strong for them,” NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said in a statement.

At his funeral service, Rivera was posthumously promoted to detective first grade.

What else?

The officers' tragic deaths have renewed calls for Bragg's ouster. The district attorney was already under fire for his controversial “day one” memo, which directed his office to take a more lenient approach on prosecutions by dropping certain misdemeanor cases and not seeking pretrial detention except for in the most violent of cases.

On Wednesday, Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul put Bragg on notice, warning him she's prepared to use her authority to force him to change his policies or remove him from office.

"I have options, but I will be monitoring the situation very closely," Hochul told the New York Post.

Bragg has since changed his tune on the law enforcement and criminal justice reforms.

In a statement following Rivera's funeral, Bragg said he is "grieving and praying for Detective Rivera and Officer Mora today and every day, and my thoughts are with their families and the NYPD."

“Violence against police officers will never be tolerated,” he added. “My office will vigorously prosecute cases of violence against police and work to prevent senseless acts like this from ever happening again.”

New York governor gets fact-checked after blaming 'a shot from an illegal gun' for murder of NYPD officer



New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) was mocked on social media over the weekend after she blamed "a shot from an illegal gun" for killing a New York City police officer on Friday.

What is the background?

Rookie NYPD officer Jason Rivera was murdered and his partner Wilbert Mora critically injured when Lashawn McNeil reportedly opened fire on them in an ambush-style attack. The officers were dispatched to the apartment where McNeil was staying after his mother called 911 and reported a domestic incident.

At the scene, investigators reportedly recovered a Glock .45 pistol that was allegedly reported stolen out of Baltimore, the New York Post reported. McNeil reportedly had a lengthy rap sheet for prior criminal activity and was out on probation at the time of the shooting.

What did Hochul say?

On Saturday, the governor claimed that "a shot from an illegal gun" — not McNeil — took Rivera's life.

"Last night, a shot from an illegal gun took the life of a @NYPDnews officer," Hochul tweeted. "When I say we’re going to do everything we can to stop the scourge of illegal guns in our state, it’s not just talk. We are tripling funding for efforts to get these guns off the streets."

Last night, a shot from an illegal gun took the life of a @NYPDnews officer.\n\nWhen I say we\u2019re going to do everything we can to stop the scourge of illegal guns in our state, it\u2019s not just talk. We are tripling funding for efforts to get these guns off the streets.pic.twitter.com/zXv0xbL4Em
— Kathy Hochul (@Kathy Hochul) 1642879066

In a video accompanying her tweet, Hochul declared that Rivera's death is a "resounding call to action" on guns, adding that "we have to do more to fight the scourge of illegal guns on our streets." She blamed lenient firearm laws in neighboring states for the alleged incursion of illegal guns into the Empire State.

What was the reaction?

Critics pounced on Hochul and her rush to blame guns for the murder of a police officer that happened allegedly at the hands of a person who should not have had a gun in the first place.

  • "Clueless Kathy: A career criminal you & others like to coddle shot the NYPD cops.You talk tough on guns but NYC prosecutors drop charges on majority of gun crimes. You resist tougher gun crime penalties. Your 'bail reform' is a disaster. Your LG is 'defund the police' Wake up!" Rob Astorino, who is running for governor of New York as a Republican, said.
  • "Guns don’t kill people…. People kill people. And the person is the problem. If it’s not a gun, then it’s some other type of weapon. The problem here is the person. Need to deal with very mean and evil people with weapons," another person said.
  • "We are done with this ideology. The illegal guns will continue to be issues as long as there are bad people who are comfortable with the risk proposition to carry them and use them. NYC has the strictest gun laws in the country. They have some of the most lax bail laws," one person pointed out.
  • "How’d the gun go off? Did it just discharge?" one person mockingly questioned.
  • "Any word on the gun's motive," another person mocked.
  • "The murderer once again had a long arrest record & was repeatedly released from jail. We desperately need to revisit bail reform. It’s impossible to live in NY," one person said.
  • "Im sorry but talking about ending illegal guns right now is bull sh**. It’s not something you can do overnight Do something that will address the criminals. End the ridiculous bail reform that has only made things worse. Sometimes you have to admit when things done work!!!" another person said.
  • "Guns just walking around shooting people on their own? Is this gun related to the SUV that ran over a parade in Waukesha?" one person mocked.
  • "A shot from an illegal gun' fired by a human with an extensive criminal record, right?" another person mocked.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) also seemingly placed partial blame for the murder of Rivera on guns, and he is demanding intervention from federal officials to help curb the influx of guns into the Big Apple.

Rookie NYPD police officer murdered in sudden ambush-style attack, second officer left in critical condition



One New York City police officer was killed and another was critically injured after they were ambushed "suddenly" and "without warning" while responding to a domestic call Friday night.

What are the details?

Officers Jason Rivera, 22, and Wilbert Mora, 27, were dispatched to an apartment in Harlem after the resident called 911 and reported a domestic incident. The caller said she was fighting with her son, and she allegedly told dispatchers that no weapons were in the house.

When officers arrived on scene, the women told officers the fighting incident happened in a back bedroom. According to officials, once the officers approached the room, the occupant, 47-year-old Lashawn McNeil, opened the door and began firing on officers. Both officers were struck by the gunfire.

“He suddenly, without warning, opened fire on them,” NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell told media, the New York Post reported.

Rivera died from his injuries, while Mora was left in critical condition. Rivera was described as a rookie cop who joined the force in 2020. Mora, meanwhile, joined the force in 2018.

The officers became the third and fourth victims of gunfire against NYPD officers this week, according to the New York Times.

What happened to McNeil?

After gunning down the officers, McNeil attempted to leave the apartment, but was shot by a third officer. McNeil was shot in the arm and head, and he was taken to a local hospital where he underwent surgery for his injuries.

According to the New York Post, investigators recovered a Glock .45 pistol that allegedly had been reported stolen out of Baltimore.

What did officials say?

Sewell expressed anger over what happened.

"I am struggling to find the words to express what we are enduring, we're mourning and we're angry," Sewell said, WABC-TV reported. "The pain their families are experiencing is not something anyone can put into words. The three officers who arrived at that scene were doing their jobs."

Mayor Eric Adams (D), meanwhile, called the ambush-style attack an attack on the entire city.

"It is our city against the killers, this was just not an attack on three brave officers, this was an attack on the city of New York — it is an attack on the children and families of this city," Adams said.

NYPD officers identified after 1 killed, 1 injured in Harlem shooting www.youtube.com