Slain officer's family attends vigil

Relatives of one of the two NYPD officers gunned down in Brooklyn attended a vigil in Cypress Hills Sunday. A gunman ambushed officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu as they sat in a patrol car in Bedford-Stuyvesant

News 12 Staff

Dec 22, 2014, 9:14 AM

Updated 3,641 days ago

Share:

Relatives of one of the two NYPD officers gunned down in Brooklyn attended a vigil in Cypress Hills Sunday.
A gunman ambushed officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu as they sat in a patrol car in Bedford-Stuyvesant Saturday, fatally shooting both of them before he turned the gun on himself in a nearby subway station, authorities say.
Ramos' family and friends gathered in the Cypress Hills neighborhood where he lived to call for unity between the police and the community.
News 12 spoke with one of Ramos' close friends, who said Ramos was a loving father and husband, and even wanted to be a clergyman. Ramos left behind two sons: a 13-year-old and another in college.
Ramos' younger son, Jaden, posted a heartbreaking message on Facebook about his father's passing. It read, "Today I had to say bye to my father. He was there for me every day of my life, he was the best father I could ask for. It's horrible that someone gets shot dead just for being a police officer. Everyone says they hate cops but they are the people that they call for help. I will always love you and I will never forget you. RIP Dad."
The New York Yankees organization has said it will pay for the education of both of Ramos' sons through its Silver Shield Foundation, which funds the education of the children of New York's police, firemen and Port Authority workers who are killed on duty.
The other officer who was gunned down, Liu, lived in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. He was married just two months ago.
While the family of Ramos says they are saddened and upset, they urge everyone to move forward peacefully.