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| New York to hold funeral for Officer Rafael Ramos | New York to hold funeral for Officer Rafael Ramos |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| NEW YORK — His childhood friends called him Pote, which loosely translates to “can of goodness” in New York’s Puerto Rican street slang. | NEW YORK — His childhood friends called him Pote, which loosely translates to “can of goodness” in New York’s Puerto Rican street slang. |
| Thousands of police officers from across the country and from Canada and residents from every corner of New York City arrived early Saturday to attend the funeral of “the can of goodness,” Rafael “Ralph” Ramos, the police officer and 40-year-old father of two who was shot dead with his partner as they sat in their squad car on a meal break in Brooklyn last week. Police in their blue uniforms arrived by bus, car, train and plane from a distance and from the precinct around the corner. By 7 a.m. Saturday, the line of mourners stretched more than six blocks. | Thousands of police officers from across the country and from Canada and residents from every corner of New York City arrived early Saturday to attend the funeral of “the can of goodness,” Rafael “Ralph” Ramos, the police officer and 40-year-old father of two who was shot dead with his partner as they sat in their squad car on a meal break in Brooklyn last week. Police in their blue uniforms arrived by bus, car, train and plane from a distance and from the precinct around the corner. By 7 a.m. Saturday, the line of mourners stretched more than six blocks. |
| With threats to police continuing online, security was high with officers on rooftops watching the crowd through binoculars. Canine units moved through the mourners and helped to check cars parked along adjacent streets. Emergency Services Unit officers patrolled with assault rifles. | |
| Ramos’s captain, Sergio Centa, said it was “a scary time for the police department right now. You just tell them to be safe, go out there in pairs and be extra cautious.” | Ramos’s captain, Sergio Centa, said it was “a scary time for the police department right now. You just tell them to be safe, go out there in pairs and be extra cautious.” |
| On Saturday, the streets of the working-class Queens neighborhood of Glendale were filled with police cars from precincts throughout New Jersey and Long Island. Police on foot came from Arizona to Maine. | |
| “It’s powerful to see,” said Deacon John Cortes of Christ Tabernacle megachurch and a former police officer who knew “Ralphy” for 14 years. They played softball together on the church team, the Kings. Ralphy was “pretty good” on second base, Cortes said, smiling as his voice cracked with emotion. | |
| “He just so in love with his sons and this church and being in the community,” he said, as he sipped coffee outside the church. “And he was that kind of cop. He was here every Sunday. He wanted to play a role.” | |
| Cortes said the irony is that Ramos didn’t fit the stereotype of the white officer acting aggressively toward African Americans, an issue at the center of recent protests. “He was a Puerto Rican kid who grew up on these streets,” he said. “This was a man who worked in our marriage ministry, counseling other young couples, he would say, ‘If you have an argument, just be kind. Don’t fight.’” | |
| Many of the police who came Saturday said they wouldn’t be able to get into the 800-person-capacity church because it was already filled. But they would stand on the sidewalk, quietly and in respect. | |
| “It’s important to be here because it’s an attack on the whole society,” said Anthony Pastore, a Long Island officer and veteran of the Marine Corps. “When I saw the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases, all I thought about was the idea of voluntary compliance. When a police officer stops you, you don’t fight. You go through the process. You both stay calm. My guys didn’t have the luxury, he said with tears in his eyes. “They were just executed. They never had a chance.” | |
| Ramos’s older son, Justin, made remarks Friday at an eight-hour wake. “Dad, I’m forever grateful of the sacrifices you made to provide for me and Jaden,” he said, referring to his younger brother, as officers gathered on the sidewalk and watched on television screens. | |
| “It really is a brotherhood,” said New Orleans Police Capt. Michael Glasser said Friday outside Christ Tabernacle, where Ramos had served as an usher. | |
| Vice President Biden is expected to attend Saturday’s service. Other dignitaries expected were Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, former mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former New York police commissioner Ray Kelly. | Vice President Biden is expected to attend Saturday’s service. Other dignitaries expected were Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, former mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former New York police commissioner Ray Kelly. |
| The funeral comes amid a national conversation and protest movement around the treatment of African Americans by law enforcement following the August shooting death of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and a New York grand jury’s decision not to indict an officer for the death of Eric Garner, the Staten Island man who was killed by a chokehold in July. | The funeral comes amid a national conversation and protest movement around the treatment of African Americans by law enforcement following the August shooting death of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and a New York grand jury’s decision not to indict an officer for the death of Eric Garner, the Staten Island man who was killed by a chokehold in July. |
| The man who shot Ramos and Officer Wenjian Liu, 32, had vowed on social media to “put wings on pigs.” | The man who shot Ramos and Officer Wenjian Liu, 32, had vowed on social media to “put wings on pigs.” |
| Their deaths have put a chill on protests that in recent weeks have turned the city into the heart of a police reform movement. The city’s progressive council members and Mayor Bill de Blasio had been pressuring the police department to retrain officers and talk openly about the use of force on African Americans. | Their deaths have put a chill on protests that in recent weeks have turned the city into the heart of a police reform movement. The city’s progressive council members and Mayor Bill de Blasio had been pressuring the police department to retrain officers and talk openly about the use of force on African Americans. |
| But now, New York is a city in anguish and anger — but for different reasons for neighbors and even family members who fall on different sides of a divisive debate. | But now, New York is a city in anguish and anger — but for different reasons for neighbors and even family members who fall on different sides of a divisive debate. |
| On Friday, mourners arrived for a daytime wake and for a closed memorial service for Ramos’s wife, Maritza, and their two sons. Police came from the 84th Precinct, at the end of the Brooklyn Bridge, where Ramos and Liu left last week to police a public housing project that had seen a particular spike in crime. More than a dozen giant flower arrangements were set up inside Christ Tabernacle. An arrangement with Ramos’s shield number spelled out in roses and lilies was placed on top of the hearse. | |
| Liu’s funeral is still being planned since his family is waiting for relatives from China to arrive. He arrived in the United States at age 12, almost exactly 20 years ago on Christmas Eve. | Liu’s funeral is still being planned since his family is waiting for relatives from China to arrive. He arrived in the United States at age 12, almost exactly 20 years ago on Christmas Eve. |
| Ramos was a regular on Queens streets of garden apartments and modest homes, in a largely immigrant neighborhood. His church of 14 years served as the comforting and encouraging heart of the community, with members who hail from Spanish-speaking countries. | Ramos was a regular on Queens streets of garden apartments and modest homes, in a largely immigrant neighborhood. His church of 14 years served as the comforting and encouraging heart of the community, with members who hail from Spanish-speaking countries. |
| Ramos, a New Yorker of Puerto Rican origin, had planned to come to Christ Tabernacle the night he was killed. He was becoming a lay chaplain and graduating from a community-crisis program. | Ramos, a New Yorker of Puerto Rican origin, had planned to come to Christ Tabernacle the night he was killed. He was becoming a lay chaplain and graduating from a community-crisis program. |
| Some neighbors held white roses for “a humble man,” who had an “infectious smile” and worked as a church usher, “willing to help at any capacity, helping people to their seats, moms with their baby carriages or the elderly in and out of our elevator,” according to a church statement. | Some neighbors held white roses for “a humble man,” who had an “infectious smile” and worked as a church usher, “willing to help at any capacity, helping people to their seats, moms with their baby carriages or the elderly in and out of our elevator,” according to a church statement. |
| His Facebook cover photo read: “If your way isn’t working, try God’s way.” | His Facebook cover photo read: “If your way isn’t working, try God’s way.” |
| Ramos was once an East New York graffiti artist, his childhood friend Israel Marrero told the media. As Ramos grew older, he said he wanted to help young people by becoming a police officer. | Ramos was once an East New York graffiti artist, his childhood friend Israel Marrero told the media. As Ramos grew older, he said he wanted to help young people by becoming a police officer. |
| “It was a very tough, dangerous neighborhood,” said Marrero. “He just wanted to do good. We always teased him about that.” | “It was a very tough, dangerous neighborhood,” said Marrero. “He just wanted to do good. We always teased him about that.” |
| This week, Ramos was remembered as a family man and ardent Mets fan, who enjoyed watching games with his sons. | This week, Ramos was remembered as a family man and ardent Mets fan, who enjoyed watching games with his sons. |
| His 13-year-old son, Jaden, wrote on his Facebook page the night his father was killed: “It’s horrible that someone gets shot dead just for being a police officer. I will always love you and never forget you.” | His 13-year-old son, Jaden, wrote on his Facebook page the night his father was killed: “It’s horrible that someone gets shot dead just for being a police officer. I will always love you and never forget you.” |
| At the memorial service Friday, the slim teenager said: “Dad, you were my best friend. I’ll miss you with every fiber of my being. You are my hero.” | |
| On Friday afternoon, Ramos’s casket was draped with the New York Police Department’s green-and-white striped flag along with a U.S. flag, and it was carried by department pallbearers — the police honor guard — into Christ Tabernacle. | On Friday afternoon, Ramos’s casket was draped with the New York Police Department’s green-and-white striped flag along with a U.S. flag, and it was carried by department pallbearers — the police honor guard — into Christ Tabernacle. |
| The church has a capacity of 800, so television screens were set up outside the building to broadcast the service. Streets around the church were closed, and residents gathered behind barricades. Some held up photographs of the slain officers. One man had a sign reading, “God bless the NYPD.” | The church has a capacity of 800, so television screens were set up outside the building to broadcast the service. Streets around the church were closed, and residents gathered behind barricades. Some held up photographs of the slain officers. One man had a sign reading, “God bless the NYPD.” |
| Some houses had handwritten signs that said: “We honor you. We respect you.” | Some houses had handwritten signs that said: “We honor you. We respect you.” |
| Jet Blue said it provided free flights from across the country for about 670 law enforcement officers. | |
| Ramos will be buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn. | |
| New York police have arrested six people accused of threatening officers since Ramos and Liu were slain by Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, who shot himself during police pursuit. Brinsley had referred on social media to cases of white police officers killing unarmed African Americans. | New York police have arrested six people accused of threatening officers since Ramos and Liu were slain by Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, who shot himself during police pursuit. Brinsley had referred on social media to cases of white police officers killing unarmed African Americans. |
| A seventh man was arrested Thursday on gun charges after a bystander overheard him making threats against officers and talking about guns in his home. | A seventh man was arrested Thursday on gun charges after a bystander overheard him making threats against officers and talking about guns in his home. |
| De Blasio — who had said that he feared for the life of his teenage son, who is biracial — asked demonstrators to suspend protests, saying they were deeply divisive during a period of remembrance for the officers. | De Blasio — who had said that he feared for the life of his teenage son, who is biracial — asked demonstrators to suspend protests, saying they were deeply divisive during a period of remembrance for the officers. |
| But demonstrations continued. And activists have said that the man who shot the officers was mentally ill and it’s a shame that his actions are overshadowing their message. | But demonstrations continued. And activists have said that the man who shot the officers was mentally ill and it’s a shame that his actions are overshadowing their message. |
| At the same time, tensions grew between the police and the mayor. A plane trailing a banner reading “DE BLASIO, OUR BACKS HAVE TURNED TO YOU” flew Friday over the Hudson River. Police officers said in an online statement that they felt betrayed by the mayor. | At the same time, tensions grew between the police and the mayor. A plane trailing a banner reading “DE BLASIO, OUR BACKS HAVE TURNED TO YOU” flew Friday over the Hudson River. Police officers said in an online statement that they felt betrayed by the mayor. |
| “It is our opinion that Mayor de Blasio’s dangerous and irresponsible comments about his and his wife’s concern for their son’s safety at the hands of the NYPD fueled the flames that led to civil unrest, and potentially to the deaths of PO Wenjian Liu and PO Rafael Ramos, as well as the continued threats against NYPD personnel,” the statement said. “The Mayor shows us no respect, and encourages the public to follow his lead.” | “It is our opinion that Mayor de Blasio’s dangerous and irresponsible comments about his and his wife’s concern for their son’s safety at the hands of the NYPD fueled the flames that led to civil unrest, and potentially to the deaths of PO Wenjian Liu and PO Rafael Ramos, as well as the continued threats against NYPD personnel,” the statement said. “The Mayor shows us no respect, and encourages the public to follow his lead.” |
| De Blasio attended the wake Friday and was also expected to attend Saturday’s funeral. | De Blasio attended the wake Friday and was also expected to attend Saturday’s funeral. |