FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 6, 2025
MEDIA CONTACTS: Eliel Cruz, press@justicecommittee.org, 770.608.8725
Tess Weiner, tess@justicecommittee.org, 224.213.5495
Fraynette Familia, ffamilia@council.nyc.gov 917-581-3358
32 Elected Officials Send Letter Calling for Immediate Action in Honor of Allan Feliz’s Birthday
New York, NY — Today, the family of Allan Feliz was joined by State Senators Julia Salazar and Jessica Ramos, Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, City Council Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, City Councilmember Carmen de la Rosa, and community groups to demand that NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Mayor Eric Adams follow the recommendation of the NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Trials and fire Lt. Jonathan Rivera by March 31 for the killing of Allan Feliz in 2019. This call for action comes just days after what would have been Allan Feliz’s 37th birthday.
“We never imagined having to spend Allan’s birthday this way,” said Ashley Feliz, Mr. Feliz’s sister. “Every year is harder.”
This morning, 32 elected officials submitted a letter to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Mayor Eric Adams, urging them to take swift action to remove Lt. Rivera from the NYPD.
“As the 32 undersigned elected leaders of New York City and State, we write to urge the immediate termination of Lt. Jonathan Rivera from the NYPD for the 2019 killing of Allan Feliz, in line with the recommendation of NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Trials Rosemarie Maldonado,” the letter states. “Firing Lt. Rivera is the only just decision that can be made in this case, and it is a step in affirming your commitment to police accountability and public safety.”
Following a disciplinary trial in November 2024, NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Trials Rosemarie Maldonado found Lt. Jonathan Rivera guilty of excessive force and assault in the first degree and is recommending his termination. An NYPD Trial Commissioner ruling in a Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) case that recommends dismissal for a police killing is rare, underscoring the egregious nature of Mr. Feliz’s death.
Despite this recommendation, the final decision now rests with NYPD Commissioner Tisch—her first major decision on police discipline as Mayor Adams’ fourth police commissioner. Past commissioners under Adams have delayed final rulings for months, leaving families without closure. The Feliz family and supporters are demanding that Commissioner Tisch fire Lt. Rivera by March 31, ensuring he does not receive his pension or a “good guy” letter that would allow him to keep his gun.
"I join with elected officials and community members across NYC and beyond in calling on Commissioner Tisch to fire Jonathan Rivera from the NYPD,” said Senator Julia Salazar. “What Jonathan Rivera did to Allan Feliz is not only utterly devastating, but also an outrage of the highest order. The least that Commissioner Tisch can do is terminate Jonathan Rivera's employment. As Commissioner Tisch's first major decision on police discipline, she must establish that officers' extrajudicial killings of our fellow citizens is absolutely unacceptable—and that those responsible will be held accountable. This lethal misconduct must end, and Commissioner Tisch's decision in this case could either help or hurt, and we implore her to make the right decision."
The letter from 30 elected officials sends a clear message: firing Lt. Rivera for killing Allan Feliz cannot be delayed any longer. The mayor and police commissioner must act by the end of the month.
“We call on you to remove Lt. Rivera from the force without pension benefits or a “good guy” letter that would allow him to retain his firearm by March 31, the end of this month,” the letter states. “As Deputy Commissioner Maldondo has correctly determined, based on the clear facts of this case, firing Lt. Rivera is the only justifiable course of action. This decision will also send a strong and necessary message that under your leadership, the NYPD will not tolerate the use of excessive force against New Yorkers.”
“Commissioner Tisch: this is your opportunity to show that you’re serious about disciplining cops and about the safety of New Yorkers,” said Samy Feliz, brother of Allan Feliz. “Fire NYPD Lt. Jonathan Rivera before the end of the month for the murder of Allan Feliz.
“In honor of what would have been his 37th birthday, I’m standing in support of the Feliz family as they fight for justice in honor of their beloved Allan Feliz’s memory,” said Council Member Alexa Avilés. “After many years of stalling, Lt. Rivera has been ruled guilty of killing Allan and an NYPD judge has recommended that he be fired. Yet, Commissioner Tisch has still not fired Lt. Rivera from his position. This is a dangerous, unjust, and reckless decision that demonstrates the systemic issues that plague our policing system. We must continue advocating for change in honor of Allan, the Feliz family, and every New Yorker who has faced violence at the hands of NYPD officers.”
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Background: On October 17, 2019, NYPD Lt. Jonathan Rivera (who was a sergeant at the time) and Officers Edward Barrett and Michelle Almanzar pulled Allan Feliz over on the corner of E 211 St and Bainbridge Ave for allegedly not wearing a seatbelt. Bodyworn camera (bwc) footage shows officers acknowledging that Mr. Feliz was wearing his seatbelt, but rather than allowing him to drive away, the officers escalated by illegally detaining him and attacking him. Lt. Rivera climbed into the passenger side of the car, tasered, beat and threatened to shoot Mr. Feliz, and then shot him point blank in the chest. After Mr. Feliz was shot, Officer Barrett yanked Mr. Feliz’s limp body from the car, exposing his genitals. None of the officers immediately covered Mr. Feliz or provided medical aid. Instead, they left Mr. Feliz to bleed out, cuffed, and exposed. Moments after shooting Mr. Feliz, Lt. Rivera exclaimed, “I was fighting. My hand was getting tired.”
After years of delays and obstruction, in May 2023, the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) substantiated fireable charges against Lt. Rivera for the killing of Allan Feliz. The NYPD delayed the process further by failing to deliver the charges to Lt. Rivera so that a discipline trial could be scheduled for over a year. Finally, after multiple rallies and press conferences, the NYPD delivered the charges in June 2024 and a discipline trial was held in Nov. 2024. In February, Deputy Commissioner of Trials Rosemarie Maldonado determined Lt. Rivera to be guilty of excessive force and assault in the first degree and is recommending he be fired. The Feliz family is calling for the NYPD commissioner and the mayor to make a swift decision that accepts Maldonado’s recommendation to fire Lt. Rivera by March 31, 2025. As of March 6, 32 city and state elected officials have signed on to a letter of support for the family, demanding Commissioner Tisch and Mayor Adams take action by the end of the month.
About the Justice Committee:
Since the 1980s, the Justice Committee (JC) has been dedicated to building a movement against police violence and systemic racism in New York City. The heart of our work is organizing and uplifting the leadership of families who have lost loved ones to the police and survivors of police violence. We empower our community to deter police violence, hold law enforcement accountable, and build people-led community safety through grassroots organizing campaigns, community empowerment, political education, our CopWatch program, and by developing safety mechanisms and projects that decrease reliance on police. By building solidarity with other anti-racist, immigrant and people of color-led organizations, the Justice Committee seeks to contribute to a broad-based movement for racial, social, and economic justice.
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