Det. Matthew Mauro, a hero cop who was injured in the line of duty last year while pursuing an attempted murder suspect, was one of several brave officers promoted at an NYPD ceremony on Friday. Mauro, 37, was elevated to the rank of second-grade detective following a harrowing incident in which he was shot in the foot while tracking down the suspect at a New Jersey hotel in June.
“I’m just really grateful,” Mauro expressed after the ceremony, where Commissioner Jessica Tisch formally raised him and several other NYPD members in rank. “It makes all the hard work worth it.”
Mauro, along with other detectives, had located suspect Karl Gregory, 46, at the Raritan Hotel in Woodbridge, NJ, on June 13. Gregory opened fire near an elevator, prompting a shootout with the officers. Ultimately, Gregory was killed, as he was wanted in connection to a shooting that occurred on 102nd Street and First Avenue on June 7.
During the exchange of gunfire, Woodbridge Police Department officer Justin Nerney was also wounded by a bullet in the back. Mauro underwent surgeries following the incident and expressed gratitude for the support he received from the NYPD and his family.
Det. Christopher Welch, 51, was also promoted at the ceremony. Welch was involved in an undercover fentanyl bust in November 2022 that led to a shootout in Manhattan. He was awarded a Combat Cross for his actions during the operation, which resulted in an armed suspect being killed.
Det. Kevin Canavan, 44, was promoted from second to first-grade detective. Canavan, who had previously been honored with a Medal of Valor for his role in dismantling a pipe bomb in Brooklyn, expressed pride in achieving the highest rank a detective can attain in the NYPD.
Husband and wife cop duo Inspector Neil Zuber, 48, and Detective Leiddy Zuber, 41, were also promoted together for the first time. Neil Zuber moved from Deputy Inspector to Inspector, while Leiddy Zuber was promoted from third to second-grade detective.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch commended the dedication and bravery of the promotees during the ceremony, highlighting the talent, skill, and heroism present within the group. She emphasized that promotions in the NYPD are earned through hard work, difficult decisions, and moments that test both skills and character.
