By Police1 Staff
NEW YORK — A veteran NYPD officer died of the cancer he developed following his involvement in search and recovery efforts at Ground Zero.
Officer Richard Lopez, 52, died of the illness on June 24 and had served with the NYPD for 20 years, according to Officer Down Memorial Page. Lopez leaves behind a wife, daughter and brother.
Lopez was one of many first responders who responded to the terrorist attack at the World Trade Center. Seventy-one LEOs, 343 members of the NYC Fire Department and more than 2,800 civilians were killed in the 9/11 attacks.
Lopez, who was also a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was presented with the NYPD flag during his funeral in his native Puerto Rico.
According to ODMP, at least 137 NYPD officers have died from health-related complications from the attacks.