Christmas night marked the first time the family of NYPD Officer Rafael Ramos came to the makeshift memorial where he and Officer Wenjian Liu were fatally shot in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.
The family placed blue roses at the memorial, which has grown tremendously over the past few days. Other contributions have been made by community groups, the FDNY, NYPD and people passing by.
After Ramos' family laid down the flowers, they lit candles, held hands and joined in tear-filled prayer. They then turned around and shook hands with every police officer on site, and thanked them for their service to the city.
Officer Lui's family paid their respects at the memorial on Christmas Eve.
The president of the 75th Precinct Community Council, Juan Rodriguez, spoke on behalf of the Ramos family, saying now is a time for solidarity for them. He went on to say that he hopes Mayor Bill de Blasio and PBA President Pat Lynch show more respect for all NYPD officers.
According to authorities, Ismaaiyl Brinsley ambushed the officers Ramos and Liu as they sat in their patrol car last Saturday, shooting them at point-blank range in the head. He turned the gun on himself in a nearby subway station.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo released a statement saying, "New York is strongest when everyone joins together, and this holiday I ask all New Yorkers to join me in pausing to remember NYPD Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos and offer support to their families any way we can."
Officer Ramos will be laid to rest on Saturday. No funeral plans for Officer Liu have been announced.