Detectives discovered major firepower hidden within the home of alleged Harlem cop killer Lashawn McNeil, who died Monday three days after shooting two police officers during a domestic dispute.
The man accused of killing 22-year-old Police Officer Jason Rivera and critically wounding 27-year-old partner Wilbert Mora continues to leave the city in shock, even after the suspect succumbed to gunshot wounds in Harlem Hospital on Jan. 24.
Police revealed a grim discovery on Monday, one day after Friday’s fatal shooting. According to police, while executing a court-authorized search of the now deceased 47-year-old suspect’s room within a West 135th Street apartment, detectives removed McNeil’s mattress to find an assault weapon.
Police identified the large firearm as an AR-15, a lightweight semi-automatic rifle. While this style of gun is capable of causing significant harm, it was not the murder weapon. During a press conference on Jan. 21, Chief of Detectives James Essig told reporters that McNeil allegedly used a Glock 45 with a high-capacity magazine to claim the life of Rivera and critically wound Mora.
The incident occurred after McNeil’s mother dialed 911 due to an alleged domestic dispute. As officers traversed a tight hallway toward the suspect’s room at the rear of the one-bedroom apartment, the door swung open and McNeil allegedly ambushed both officers with a hail of bullets.
This discovery comes as law enforcement plans mourning services for Rivera, including a wake and funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral later this week. NYPD and New York City as a whole continue to pray for the recovery of Officer Mora, who remains in critical condition after being transferred from Harlem Hospital to NYU Langone Medical Center on Jan 23.
