Candlelight vigil held for fallen NYPD officers Rivera and Mora

They gathered the 49th Precinct to remember the two detectives who were killed so early in their careers. Community members and fellow officers came and prayed with candles and flowers in hand.

News 12 Staff

Feb 3, 2022, 1:14 AM

Updated 1,052 days ago

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The show of support and solidarity for detectives Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora continues.
Dozens of people joined together to hold a vigil on Wednesday. Some of them tell News 12 they feel saddened but also proud of the courage those two detectives had to take on this role.
They gathered the 49th Precinct to remember the two detectives who were killed so early in their careers. Community members and fellow officers came and prayed with candles and flowers in hand.
Gene DeFrancis organized this vigil. DeFrancis is the founder of the local Allerton Merchants Association and a military veteran. He tells News 12 he quickly reached out to other local community organizations to put this vigil on -- the same day as the funeral for Detective Wilbert Mora.
"It could've been anyone of my friends in this precinct and that was the scary part, a simple domestic violence call and it was over for these young men and for what?", DeFrancis said.
Vigil-goers came from not only the Bronx but also as far as Yonkers, with one message -- stand in solidarity with the police.
“Although maybe our leaders of our city, right now don't seem to have the back of the NYPD, our citizens do,” Patrick McManus, a retired Yonkers police officer added, Different faith leaders from the Bronx lead the group in prayer, reminding everyone of how an officer's job is never truly over.
A few officers had to run off to answer a call as the vigil happened.