EAST LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WHDH) — One of the officers killed in an attack on police officers in Dallas Friday went to high school in Massachusetts.
Dallas Police Officer Michael Krol graduated from East Longmeadow High School in Western Massachusetts in 1994. The high school tweeted on Friday evening, “ELHS sends its deepest sympathy to the family & friends of Dallas police officer Michael Krol – class of ’94.” Krol’s classmate and friend Ben Nuzzolilli said as a teenager, Krol dreamed of being a police officer one day.
“He was always funny, likeable, sweet soul, very genuine,” said Nuzzolilli.
After he graduated from high school, Krol’s family moved to Michigan. He eventually moved to Dallas, where he joined the police department. Krol’s mother said her son was a caring person who always had wanted to help others.
“He knew the danger of the job but he never shied away from his duty,” Susan Ehlke of Redford, Michigan, said in a prepared statement the day after her son was killed.
Police said Micah Johnson opened fire on a peaceful protest in downtown Dallas Thursday night, targeting white police officers. The other four police officers killed have been identified.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit Officer Brent Thompson, 43, was a father of six and had recently welcomed his third grandchild. He was a newlywed, having recently married a fellow transit officer. DART spokesman Morgan Lyons said Thompson was the first DART officer killed in the line of duty since the police force was founded in 1989.
Patrick Zamarripa, 32, was a Navy veteran who served three tours in Iraq. The Texas native joined the Dallas Police Department about five years ago. His father Rick Zamarripa said his son was hugely compassionate and would “bend over backward to help anybody.” He is survived by his wife, 2-year-old daughter and 10-year-old stepson.
The other two police officers killed were Lorne Errands, a 14-year Dallas Police veteran, and 55-year-old Michael Smith, who is survived by two children. Five other police officers were wounded, along with two people attending the demonstration.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)