Three years after the tragedy that occurred on July 7, 2016, a monument honoring Officer Patricio Zamarripa, Officer Michael Krol, Sergeant Michael Smith, Senior Corporal Lorne Ahrens and DART Officer Brent Thompson has been erected in front of the Jack Evans Police Headquarters building. The 7|7 Monument Unveiling ceremony was held on July 8, 2019, at 10:30 a.m., as a permanent tribute to the five officers who lost their lives in the ambush that day.
The program commenced with the Posting of Colors by the Dallas Police Department’s Honor Guard, followed by Officer Ray Vaughn’s rendition of the National Anthem. Deputy Chief Albert Martinez welcomed everyone on this somber occasion. He was followed by remarks from Mayor Eric Johnson who read a letter from George and Laura Bush praising the officers. Chief U. Reneé Hall extended her gratitude to Kelcy and Amy Warren and the entire Energy Transfer family for making this possible and asked that God bless the officers, their families and the city. She also expressed her appreciation to the artist, Barvo Walker, for creating the beautiful monument that perfectly represents the sacrifice and dedication of the fallen five . DART Chief of Police James D. Spiller elegantly spoke on how the officers’ legacies will live on.
It was a bittersweet ceremony with the family members in attendance as well as city and state officials. After the remarks, the monument was unveiled. The years following that day continue to be a struggle for the department and its officers, but the memory of those that made the ultimate sacrifice inspire us to push forward.
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