Dallas police officer lights the candles of attendees at the Dallas Strong Candlelight Vigil on Monday. Javier Giribet-Vargas / KERA News Special Contributor
By Stella M. Chávez, KERA News via Audio Texas
DALLAS – More than a thousand people showed up to Dallas City Hall Monday (11 July) night to honor the fallen Dallas police officers with a candlelight vigil.
As Dallas Police Chief David Brown took the stage, he was greeted warmly, with lots of applause.
The past few days have been filled with sadness and anger over the killings of the five police officers. But Brown and his department have received an outpouring of support from the public.
Brown told the crowd that the fallen officers were like superheroes — Like superman.
“Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in single bound…”
The officers killed last Thursday ran toward danger. Cops, he says, are always focused on getting the job done. Now, the police department is focusing on helping families of the victims.
“Families we love you. We love you with everything we have. We are now your surrogate family members. We’re your brothers and your sisters. When you need us, you call.”
Among the speakers were colleagues of the officers who were killed. Like Dallas Police Officer Josh Rodriguez who shared memories of Officer Patrick Zamarripa. One of Zamarripa’s last acts was the same day as the shooting. A homeless man walked up to the officer, complaining that someone stole his chips. Rodriquez says Zamarripa walked to a nearby store to buy the man chips and a drink.
“He saw no color, nothing mattered to him except that you were human and that is why he is loved so much, because of the genuine love and the goodness he had for other people.”
Dallas Senior Corporal Marcie St. John spoke fondly about her partner on the beat, Sergeant Michael Smith. She says he was a leader who loved working on the street. The past few days have been gut-wrenching, she says.
“This tragedy has sucker-punched the department that I have served for more than 24 years, and the department that I still love, has knocked the breath out of us. It has. We are sad. We are overwhelmed. We are in disbelief. We are in mourning. And yes, we are angry.”
St. John says they should focus that emotion on something positive, that fosters hope. Senior Corporal Jaime Castro shared stories about his colleague Lorne Ahrens. Castro says his fellow senior corporal wrote good reports and cited laws word for word. Castro was with Ahrens in the hospital.
“Lorne, I know you’re up there listening brother and I want you to know I was there outside the window by your side to see you take your final breath. You weren’t alone. I had your back as you always had ours.”
As night fell, mourners lit their candles and stood in silence, listening to a retired officer played the bagpipes.
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