A mural honoring the officers killed in the July 7 Dallas ambush is gone for now. Family members want someone to claim it and put it back on display.

The mural was painted on a fence outside an Oak Cliff restaurant. But because the fence blocked the view at an intersection, the city ordered it to be removed.

Painted on the street side of the Last Call Lounge restaurant is a mural honoring the five fallen officers.

“We got together with the artist, and the artist came up with this idea,” explained business owner Diana Paz. “That's how it started."

But the mural and the wall are both coming down.

Valerie Zamarripa's son, Patrick, was killed in the ambush along with Michael Smith, Lorne Ahrens, Michael Krol and Brent Thompson.


"Once I saw it, it showed me people do care, showed respect and honor for my son and the other officers,” Valerie said.

The business owner says they've been told by city inspectors the metal panels violate a city ordinance and that the wall extends too far into the corner, obstructing the view at a stop sign.

The wall has been up for about a year. The owners say the city got involved after someone complained.

“We were in meetings and conversations with them,” Paz said. “Then about a month ago, we stopped getting any information from them."

Paz says they then received a warning of a $1,000 fine a day for keeping the mural up.

The original wrought iron fence will remain. The metal panels gave the lounge privacy and a canvas for the artwork honoring the fallen officers.

For Valerie, anything that honors her son and the officers killed that day is worth keeping.

“I feel like if it's trashed it's a dishonor to my son and the other officers who lost their lives,” she said.

The Last Call Lounge owners say they held off the city as long as they could, but a warning of a $1,000 daily fine convinced them to take down the wall and the mural with it.

Valerie and the business owner are hopeful someone will see what's happened and restore the mural someplace where it wouldn't violate any ordinances.