Dallas police officers honored with memorial on anniversary of shooting

The city of Dallas honored the five police officers who were murdered last year by unveiling the Dallas Circle of Heroes Memorial on Friday, a stone monument detailing the sacrifice of each fallen officer.

The officers -- Lorne Ahrens, Michael Krol, Michael Smith, Patrick Zamarripa and Brent Thompson -- were all targeted in an attack on law enforcement during a peaceful demonstration against police brutality on July 7, 2016.

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When the attacker, 25-year-old Micah Johnson, opened fire on the police officers, demonstrators ran for cover, while the officers protected them and ran toward the ambush. Johnson was later killed after a standoff with police.

Several ceremonies were held Friday to honor the law enforcement officers, including a prayer service to start the memorial services.

Kristy Zamarripa, who lost her husband Patrick, told CBS Dallas-Fort Worth that the city’s memorial was “beautiful.”

“Beautiful ceremony, beautiful stones, beautiful wording,” she said. “It’s hard to believe it’s almost been a year.”

The Circle of Heroes Memorial includes five stones with the names of the fallen officers listed on engraved plaques. The monument stands in a circle, off the Trinity Stand Trail in Dallas’ Design District, CBS DFW reported.

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The developer of the memorial, Jim Lakes, told CBS that it was his business partner, Mike Morgan, who came up with the idea for the memorial last year.

“I said it’s time some of us stood up and showed our guys in blue how much we love them and how much everyday they go out and service their cities,” Morgan said.

DART Police Chief James Spiller told the crowd, “We struggle some days to work through our emotions and still ask why. But we continue because we know that’s what our fallen brothers and friends and their families expect us to do.”