Peter King Mourns Detective Liu at Wake

Rosemary and I have just returned from the wake of assassinated NYPD Detective Wenjian Liu in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

Like last week's wake for Det. Liu's partner, Rafael Ramos, the mood was sad and somber, a mood matched this day by the sinister clouds in the Brooklyn sky and the incessant rain which crashed against the car window as we drove down 13th Avenue toward the Aievoli Funeral Home on the corner of 65th Street.

As Rosemary and I got out of the car, we saw the crowd of mourners overflowing from the funeral home onto 13th Ave., around the corner on 65th St., and continuing for blocks. Many were uniformed but there were civilians as well, all braving the cold, wind and rain to demonstrate their respect for a fallen warrior.

Inside the funeral home Rosemary and I waited in the back of the room as Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton stood at the open coffin and then paid their respects to the family members seated across the front row.

The room was filled with flowers which had banners on them streamed with Chinese characters. There was a whiff of incense in the air.

The mayor and police commissioner walked to the rear of the room. We shook hands, exchanged looks of sadness and I wished them well.

Standing at the coffin, I said Catholic prayers for this brave Buddhist. Alongside was a table with grapefruit, oranges, assorted other fruits and an uncooked chicken, apparently a Buddhist tradition connoting pleasures of this world to be brought into the next. There also were small, torch-like burning candles.

A Chinese NYPD sergeant then introduced me to the grieving family members. Det Liu's widow sat motionless, wracked with sorrow but filled with solemn dignity. I thanked her for Det Liu's service and said the same to his mother and father and relatives who had flown in from China. All sat stoically except for a man at the end of the row who suddenly stood up and embraced me and Rosemary. I had no response except "thanks."

And "thanks" is what we should all be saying to the families of Det. Liu and Det. Ramos and to all the men and women of the NYPD.

Det. Wenjian Liu RIP.