Have you ever walked into a restaurant and been seated in a horrible spot? Sure, sometimes the place is packed and there’s nowhere else available, but sometimes it’s fairly empty and they still stick you in the back. It can be frustrating.
That’s exactly what happened to one Texas family a few years ago when they were dining at the Texas Roadhouse Restaurant in Flower Mound.
There appeared to be an empty booth, but the family wasn’t allowed to sit there. It wasn’t until they got a bit closer that they would start to understand.
The booth was set up as if it was expecting somebody important. The United States flag and a Texas flag adorned the wall behind the table, and there were plates and silverware set for five. Perhaps the restaurant was expecting some VIP customers? When they spotted a frame on the corner of the table, it instantly broke their heart.
The restaurant had reserved the table for five slain police officers.
The men, known as the Dallas 5, had been murdered on July 7. 2016, when Micah Xavier Johnson ambushed a group of law enforcement officers. Eleven others were also wounded in the attack.
According to reports, Johnson was an Army Reserve Afghan war veteran, displeased with the police shooting of black men that had been prominent in the media at the time. After a long stand-off with police, Johnson was killed with a bomb attached to a remote-controlled, bomb-disposal robot. However, the incident was deemed the deadliest event for US law enforcement since September 11th. The victims were as follows:
- DPD Senior Cpl. Ahrens, age 48
- DPD Officer Michael Krol, age 40
- DPD Sgt. Michael Smith, age 55
- DART Officer Brent Thomas, 43
- DAPD Officer Patricio “Patrick” Zamarripa, age 32
The framed text on the restaurant the table read:
“We remember and honor the five slain police officers, Sergeant Michael J. Smith, Officer Michael Krol, Officer Patrick Zamarripa, Senior Corporal Lorne Ahrens, and Mr. Brent Thompson, who worked for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Department, that the Texas Roadhouse restaurant reserved a table for. We thank you for your service. May you rest in peace.”
In addition to the table, the Flower Mound Texas Roadhouse also donated 5% of the day’s sales to the Assist the Officer Foundation (run by the Dallas Police Association), which provides financial assistance to officers suffering a loss of income as a result of illness, accidents, or catastrophic events.
What the restaurant did that day was too kind to go unnoticed!
But so is the dedication of the fallen officers, who gave their life protecting those in need. The least we can do is to extend our thanks to law enforcement officers everywhere— our brave, valiant heroes dressed in blue.
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