The DEA Honor Roll

On January 21, 2022, three, young Police Officers from the 32 Precinct in Harlem — Jason Rivera, Wilbert Mora, and Sumit Sulan — responded to a domestic violence call on 135th Street in Harlem. The call had been made by a woman who was fighting with one of her two, grown sons. The Officers entered her apartment and while the mother and one son were being interviewed, at approximately 6:15 p.m., Officers Rivera and Mora walked down the hallway to look for the combative subject.

Suddenly, 47-year-old Lashawn McNeil popped out of his bedroom door and opened fire. Both Rivera and Mora were hit, although Mora managed to squeeze off one round before collapsing. P.O. Sumit Sulan rushed over and fired his weapon, subduing the perpetrator. Responders rushed Rivera and Mora to Harlem Hospital. The perp was arrested and also removed to the hospital, where he later expired. In addition to his 9mm handgun, he also had an assault rifle in his room.

P.O. Jason Rivera, age 22, died shortly thereafter. P.O. Mora, age 27, lingered in a coma for four days, and on January 25, 2022, he passed away. The violent, combat deaths of these two, young, idealistic Hispanic Officers rocked the City of New York. Both were eulogized by family and high-ranking City officials at heroes’ funerals at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan. Both Officers were promoted to Detective First Grade at their respective funerals: Rivera on January 28, 2022; and Mora on February 2, 2022.

Officer Sumit Sulan was promoted to Detective with shield number #332, symbolizing, said Police Commissioner Kechant Sewell, three brothers from the 32 Precinct.

Det. Jason Rivera was survived his wife of three months, Dominique, who had been his childhood sweetheart. She shared heart-breaking memorabilia with the public about their storybook love and spoke eloquently at her husband’s funeral in an emotional eulogy, as did other family members of both Detectives. Rivera was also survived by his parents and married brother. Det. Mora was survived by his parents and brother.

Det. Rivera was an avid runner and baseball player, and had only served the Department for 14 months before he was killed. He had been appointed to the force on November 2, 2020. Det. Mora had emigrated to the United States as a young child, and had served the NYPD for three years. He was appointed to the force on October 24, 2018. A Google search of the names “Rivera and Mora” will bring up more than 22-million entries in a matter of seconds: that’s how shocking and moving the deaths of these two, young men were to the City of New York and the world.

On Tuesday, July 18, 2023, a street at South 3rd Street and Keap Street in Brooklyn, NY 11211 was renamed in Det. First Grade Wilbert Mora’s honor.