Tears, Disbelief Overwhelm as ‘Assassinated' NYPD Officer, a Mother of 3, Is Mourned Outside Bronx Stationhouse

An emotional vigil was held Wednesday just steps from where a 12-year NYPD veteran was ambushed hours earlier as family, friend and colleagues struggle to come to grips with what Gov. Cuomo has called a “senseless assassination.”

Officer Miosotis Familia, 48, was working her early shift, sitting in a RV-like mobile command unit near 183rd Street and Morris Avenue in the Bronx, when police say 34-year-old Alexander Bonds shot her through the passenger window. Police say Familia never saw the shooter coming. Her partner desperately radioed in for help and the mother of three was taken to the hospital in extremely critical condition. She later died. 

Flowers, handwritten notes and posters still lined the sidewalks outside Familia’s 46th Precinct stationhouse Thursday, hours after family members, fellow police officers, Mayor de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill gathered to pay their respects at the building where she spent her entire career. Some officers were visibly distraught, crying and hugging one another.

Co-worker J. Rodriguez described the slain officer as "a beautiful person with everybody, the prisoners and the people. Very humble and very happy.”

On Thursday afternoon, Familia's body was transported from Bellevue Hospital to a funeral home in the Bronx. 

Familia joined the NYPD later than most people, working as a nurse for much of her adult life. Friends who know her best said both professions were a natural fit because she lived to take care of others. She was her mother’s caregiver and leaves behind three children, a 20-year-old daughter and two 12-year-old twins.

“We can’t believe this happened,” Democratic Sen. Marisol Alcantara said while fighting back tears.

Bonds, who had been on parole for a robbery case in Syracuse, was gunned down by officers a block away from the crime scene following a brief chase. Bonds was sentenced in 2006 to six years and 10 months to eight years in the case, and was released on parole in May 2013, with a supervision completion date set for May 2018.

“We pray that she finds rest and that her three children find solace and peace,” O’Neill wrote in a letter to the NYPD force.

Cuomo directed that flags on all state government buildings be flown at half-staff in memory of Familia.

Meanwhile, police are trying to establish the motive for Wednesday's shooting, which O'Neill described as an officer being "assassinated in an unprovoked attack on cops." Familia apparently had no previous contact with Bonds. 

New video from a nearby bodega, moments after Familia was shot, shows a hectic scene with chaos and fear in the street as people heard the gunshots.

“I live two blocks away and I heard police sirens for a good 10-20 minutes,” Shawn Smith of Morris Heights said.

Bonds, also known as John Bonds, was arrested in New York City at least six times for charges including selling drugs and assaulting police with brass knuckles in 2001.

“I guess he saw a moment of weakness for her,” Allen Martinez of Tremont said. “He basically wanted to commit suicide.”

Now as the investigation continues, law enforcement sources said authorities are paying attention to a video posted on what appears to be Bonds’ Facebook page back in September. In the video, Bonds is allegedly rambling that law officers got away with killing and abusing people, he warned them to leave him alone or "we gonna do something."

"I'm not playing, Mr. Officer. I don't care about 100 police watching this," the suspect said in the page otherwise filled largely with inspirational quotes and quizzes.

"It's time for people to wisen up," he added.

While he railed in his video about how inmates are treated behind bars, prison records show he had been written up more than two dozen times for disciplinary reasons - mostly for relatively minor infractions, but sometimes for top-level violations such as attacking an inmate or fighting.