NY police pay respects to fallen colleague Rafael Ramos

New York police were out in force for the funeral of Rafael Ramos, who was shot dead in his patrol car last week.

The US Vice-president, Joe Biden, also attended and offered his sympathies to the families of Mr Ramos and fellow officer Wenjian Liu, who also died in the attack.

ITV News Correspondent Sejal Karia reports.

Tens of thousands of mourners filled a New York City church and surrounding streets for the funeral of one of two police officers ambushed by a gunman who said he was avenging the killing of unarmed black men by police.

Rafael Ramos was gunned down along with his partner Wenjian Liu in their patrol car by Ismaaiyl Brinsley.

Relatives and close friends of Ramos recalled him as a man devoted to his church and to calling the people he loved frequently just to see how they were doing.

US Vice President Joe Biden spoke at the service, addressing Ramos's widow Maritza, he said: "I believe that this great police force, of this incredibly diverse city, can and will show the nation how to bridge any divide. You've done it before and you will do it again."

Funeral plans for Officer Liu have yet to be announced.

New York Police officers have today been paying their respects to one of the two officers murdered as he sat in his squad car last week.

Rafael Ramos and his partner Wenjian Liu were shot when they were sitting in their car in Brooklyn, with the gunman killing himself shortly after.

Hundreds of mourners attended a church in the Queen's area for Ramos' wake.

'He was the best father I could ask for': Son's heartbreaking tribute to murdered New York police officer

CCTV footage of a man who killed two New York police officers has been released showing his movements shortly before the fatal incident.

The film, released by the NYPD, shows Ismaaiyl Brinsley inside the Atlantic Mall in Brooklyn moments before he killed officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos as they sat in their patrol car.

Brinsley apparently told passers-by 'watch what I'm going to do' before ambushing the policemen.

Police have asked for the public's help to track the whereabouts of Brinsley before he attacked the officers on Saturday afternoon.

A charity with links to the New York Yankees baseball team will support the family of one of the police officers who was shot dead at the weekend, according to a local media report.

The report says the foundation will pay for the education of the two sons of Rafael Ramos.

The Yankee Silver Shield Foundation was set up because Yankees owner George Steinbrenner wanted to do something to help the family of another police officer who was killed in the line of duty 32 years ago.

It continues to support the families of New York City police officers, firemen and Port Authority employees.

• 'He was the best father I could ask for': Son's heartbreaking tribute to murdered New York police officer

Police unions in the US have advised officers to take extra precautions after two New York Police Department (NYPD) cops were gunned down at the weekend, NBC News reports.

A directive to the 35,000 officers of the NYPD advised officers to work in threes on the street and to wear bulletproof vests.

Similar directives went out to officers in New Jersey, Philadelphia and Boston.

Police officers in New York have turned their back on the city's mayor, Bill de Blasio, as he arrived at a hospital to pay tribute to two officers killed by a gunman.

According to the New York Times, the protest was encouraged by union leaders because the mayor has campaigned against "overreaching by police" under his predecessor.

(Credit: YouTube / NY Post)

Mayor de Blasio was visiting Woodhull Hospital on Saturday evening to give a press conference on the murder of the two police officers.

A gunman told passers-by to "watch what I'm going to do" before shooting dead two New York police officers.

Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said Ismaaiyl Brinsley spoke to people on the street just moments before murdering officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu in Brooklyn.

Boyce said the 28-year-old had a criminal past and had ranted online about the police, government and the state of his own life.

The family of police choke-hold victim Eric Garner has condemned the killing of two New York police officers, saying they are "standing here in sorrow" at their deaths.

Gwen Carr, whose son's death at the hands of police officers sparked protests across America, said: "Anyone who's standing with us, we want you to not use Eric Garner's name for violence because we are not about that.

"I'm standing here in sorrow about losing those two police officers."

Garners' widow Esaw added: "My husband was not a violent man. We don't want violence connected to his name."