New York Mourns Slain Officers as Police Tighten Security

Updated: December 22, 2014 1:04 PM [ET] | Originally published: December 22, 2014 1:49 AM EST;

The NYPD tightened protocol for its officers, as the city mourned the loss of the two policemen gunned down over the weekend.

New York police officers were directed to only go on foot patrols in pairs, the New York Times reported, after policemen Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos in Brooklyn were shot to death by a mentally unstable man on Saturday afternoon.

Thousands of unarmed volunteer auxiliary officers have had their patrols suspended.

Liu, 32, and Ramos, 40, were the first NYPD officers to be killed on duty since December 2011. The suspected gunman, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, had posted on Instagram that he was “putting wings on pigs today,” before coming up from behind their patrol car and firing four shots through the passenger window. He later apparently turned the gun on himself.

Witness the Aftermath of Police Shooting in Brooklyn

Brooklyn New York Police Shooting Bed Stuy — The skyline of Manhattan is seen in the background as investigators work at the scene where two NYPD officers were shot in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Dec. 20, 2014 John Minchillo—AP

NY police salute fallen comrades — Police pay their respect outside Woodhull Hospital as two Police ambulances carrying the bodies of two murdered officers head to Bellevue Hospital in New York City, Dec. 20, 2014. Paul Martinka—Polaris

A man leaves flowers at an impromptu memorial near the site where two police officers were killed the day before in the Brooklyn borough of New York on Dec. 21, 2014. — A man leaves flowers at an impromptu memorial near the site where two police officers were killed the day before in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Dec. 21, 2014. Seth Wenig—AP

Marie Jean-Baptiste — New York City police officer Darren Cox, right, accompanied by fellow officers, leaves flowers at a memorial in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Dec. 21, 2014.Mark Lennihan—AP

Donna Salvaggio and a woman who gave her name as Reverend Jordan hug at a makeshift memorial at the site where two police officers were shot in the head in the Brooklyn borough of New York — Donna Salvaggio (L) and a woman who gave her name as Reverend Jordan hug at a makeshift memorial at the site where two police officers were shot in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, Dec. 21, 2014. Carlo Allegri—Reuters

A man takes part in a prayer vigil at the site where two police officers were shot in the head in the Brooklyn borough of New York — A man takes part in a prayer vigil at the site where two police officers were fatally shot in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, Dec. 21, 2014. Carlo Allegri—Reuters

Mourners take part in prayer vigil at site where two police officers were fatally shot in the Brooklyn borough of New York — Mourners take part in a prayer vigil at the site where two police officers were fatally shot in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, Dec. 21, 2014. Stephanie Keith—Reuters

APTOPIX Pistons Nets Basketball NYPD Officers Shot — New York Police Department officers Mark Cava, left, and Jason Muller participate in a moment of silence for two slain NYPD officers before an NBA basketball game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Detroit Pistons in New York City on Dec. 21, 2014.Jason DeCrow—AP

Pistons Nets Basketball NYPD Officers Shot — New York Police Department officer Jason Muller salutes during the national anthem after participating in a moment of silence for two slain NYPD officers before an NBA basketball game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Detroit Pistons in New York City on Dec. 21, 2014.Jason DeCrow—AP

A woman recites from Bible while standing over makeshift memorial during prayer vigil at the site where two NYPD officers were fatally shot in Brooklyn borough of New York — A woman recites from a Bible while standing over a makeshift memorial during a prayer vigil at the site where two New York Police Department (NYPD) officers were fatally shot in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, Dec. 21, 2014. Stephanie Keith—Reuters

Vigil for slain police — Mourners take part in a prayer vigil at the site where two police officers were fatally shot in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, Dec. 21, 2014. Stephen Shames—Polaris

Police commissioner William J. Bratton visited the makeshift memorial at the Brooklyn crime scene Sunday. A candlelight vigil took place in Harlem. President Obama also offered his condolences to Bratton over phone from his vacation in Hawaii, and Jeh C. Johnson, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, visited the precinct where the slain officers worked.

“They were assassinated — targeted for their uniform, and for the responsibility they embraced: to keep the people of this city safe,” Bratton wrote in a message to all 35,000 members of the department. “Be safe.”

Jaden, the 13-year-old son of slain Officer Rafael Ramos, wrote on his Facebook wall: “This is the worst day of my life. 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.”

Shakuwra Dabre, mother of Brinsley, told DNAInfo on Monday she was “horrified” to learn her son had killed two police officers. “I still wish to extend my condolences to those families because they’re grieving and I’m grieving also at the loss of my son.”

The shootings also came at a time of tension between the police, particularly the unions, and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, which was especially apparent on Saturday, as several officers turned their backs on the Mayor as he held a news conference.

Witness the Aftermath of Police Shooting in Brooklyn

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