The top local stories this evening from KERA News:
Dallas police gathered in front of their headquarters Friday morning to remember the officers who died two years ago. The shooting on July 7, 2016, was one of the deadliest days in U.S. law enforcement history.
The ceremony recognized Lorne Ahrens, Michael Krol, Patricio Zamarripa, Michael Smith and DART Officer Brent Thompson, who were killed in the ambush in 2016, as well as Rogelio Santander, who died in a Home Depot shooting earlier this year.
“We assemble here today as a celebration of life,” said Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall at the ceremony. “These officers left a legacy, and we need to honor that legacy by remembering them and remembering the families – honoring you – each and every day."
She said the shooting was also “the department’s and this community’s finest hour.”
Dallas Sen. Royce West said actions and behavior of the Dallas Department that night have helped redefine the city’s national image.
“We’ve seen individuals coming together surrounding, supporting law enforcement,” West said. “We have a chief of police that cares about making certain her troops understand and appreciate their response for the community and what the behavior and expectations are of police officers and citizens.”
At the end of the service, family members and Dallas police released white balloons that represented the slain officers.
A monument in memory of the officers lost July 7 is schedule to go up soon near the entrance of Dallas police headquarters.
Other stories this evening:
- Crews are making progress as they battle a wildfire in Palo Pinto County, about 60 miles west of Fort Worth. The fire, which hasn't grown since Thursday, has scorched about 4,500 acres. Erin O'Connor with the Texas A&M Forest Service says the fire is now about 55 percent contained, but firefighters will keep working over the weekend to reinforce the fireline, which cuts off the fire from its source of fuel -- in this case grass and shrubs — so the flames can’t spread. A lightning strike is the likely cause of the “Surprise Fire.”
- "The Leavers" tells the story of an Asian American boy who is adopted by white parents after his undocumented mother disappears. The novel was a finalist for the 2017 National Book Award, and today on Think, Krys Boyd talked with author Lisa Ko about how the book explores Asian-American identity.
- A new play opens Friday night in Dallas about the American debate over gun violence. But this one’s very different. Teen actors take on the roles of real-life victims and gun advocates. Art&Seek's Hady Mawajdeh and Jerome Weeks have been following the making of this play for six months. In this week’s State of the Arts, Anne Bothwell talks with the reporters about what it took for these teenagers to create the show called "Babel." The show continues through July 15th at Hammon Hall in the Winspear Opera House.
You can listen to North Texas stories weekdays at 8:22 a.m. and 6:20 p.m. on KERA 90.1 FM.
