New York police officers killed in line of duty, seven others awarded Medal of Valor

Michael Collins, USA TODAY
Updated ·2 min read
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WASHINGTON – Two New York City police officers who were ambushed and killed in the line of duty were recognized for their courage on Wednesday when President Joe Biden awarded them the Medal of Valor, the nation’s highest honor for bravery by a public safety officer.

Officers Wilbert Mora and Jason Rivera, who put themselves in the line of fire to protect a mother and son from an armed man in their home, were among nine public safety officers to receive the medal in a ceremony in the White House East Room.

"From small towns and bity cities, you're cut from the same cloth," Biden said of the honorees. "You run into danger when everyone else runs away from danger. You possess a selflessness that's literally impossible to explain. And your bravery is one that inspires."

Mora and Rivera were shot Jan. 21, 2022, while responding to a call about a family dispute in a Harlem apartment, where a gunman was threatening his mother and younger brother. Another officer, Sumit Sulan, ensured the safety of those on the scene and shot and killed the gunman, ending the deadly episode just 45 seconds after it began.

Rivera, 22, who had been a police officer for barely a year, died a few hours later from his wounds. Mora, 27, died four days later.

Sulan also was awarded the Medal of Valor for his bravery in ending the rampage.

This photo combo of images provided by the New York City Police Department shows NYPD Officers Wilbert Mora, left, and Jason Rivera. The two officers were shot while answering a call about an argument between a woman and her adult son in the Harlem neighborhood of New York, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022.
This photo combo of images provided by the New York City Police Department shows NYPD Officers Wilbert Mora, left, and Jason Rivera. The two officers were shot while answering a call about an argument between a woman and her adult son in the Harlem neighborhood of New York, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022.

The other medal recipients:

  • Cpl. Jeffrey Farmer of the Littleton, Colorado Police Department, whose rapid action saved the life of a fellow officer who had been seriously wounded.

  • Lt. Justin Hespeler of the New York City Fire Department, who rushed into a burning house and crawled through thick smoke and extreme heat to find and rescue a newborn baby.

  • Retired Lt. Jason Hickey of the New York City Fire Department, who rescued a man from the surging Harlem River.

  • Deputy Bobby Hau Pham of the Clermont County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office, who dove into frigid waters to save a drowning woman who had driven her car into a lake.

  • Sgt. Kendrick Simpo of the Houston, Texas Police Department, who confronted a man carrying an assault-style rifle in a shopping mall who appeared intent on inflicting harm. Simpo restrained the heavily armed suspect with his own hands.

  • Patrick Thornton of the New York City Fire Department, who saved a man trapped beneath a capsized boat and pulled him through treacherous waters to safety.

Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on Twitter @mcollinsNEWS.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden awards Medal of Valor to nine public safety officers