Detectives discover AR-15 in possession of alleged Harlem cop killer

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.