El Centro College, Linked To Police Ambush, Remembers 1 Year Later
DALLAS (CBS11) - El Centro College President Jose Adames expressed what so many people have felt on this one year anniversary five police officers in Dallas were killed in an ambush.
"While a year has passed, the horrific memories and emotional toll continues for many of us."
During a ceremony at the college Friday morning, Adames read aloud the names of the fallen officers:
Michael Krol, Lorne Ahrens, Patrick Zamarripa, and Michael Smith of Dallas PD and Brent Thompson of DART.
Adames also paid tribute to all law enforcement officers who attended the ceremony at the college, which will forever be linked to the shootings.
Among those honored here, El Centro College police officer John Abbott, who was hit with flying glass as suspect Micah Johnson tried to shoot his way into one of their buildings.
He eventually did make it inside and Cpl. Bryan Shaw was hit, with a bullet making it under his vest and lodging in his abdomen.
"We were receiving fire and we couldn't return fire because we couldn't see the suspect," said Abbott.
The sniper barricaded himself in an area on the second floor of the college building.
At one point, Dallas police said only 44 feet stood between the suspect and police negotiators.
Dallas Police eventually sent in its robot to kill him.
That set off an explosion, that area has since been renovated.
Officer Abbott says after the shootings, they received support from around the world.
"We had letters from everywhere. Support from the community has been overwhelming. It's humbling."
Speakers including student leader Rachel Royal challenged those at the ceremony to value everyone, even those they disagree with. "Every life that is lived matters and every life that is lost matters."
El Centro college is now trying to raise $50,000 to pay for a sculpture to be placed at the Elm Street entrance.
The college will decide which of the renderings to choose it received from four artists.
