DALLAS -- The widow of one of the Dallas police officers killed in the July 7, 2016, ambush downtown could receive up to $2.8 million after the City Council voted Wednesday to address lawsuits she brought against the city.

A gunman opened fire during what had been a peaceful demonstration that night, killing five law enforcement officers and wounding several others. After a roughly two-hour standoff, police killed the gunman with explosives delivered by a remote-controlled robot.

Among those killed was Senior Cpl. Lorne Ahrens, a 14-year officer of the Dallas Police Department. His widow, Katrina Ahrens, a Dallas police officer who recently left the department, filed multiple lawsuits in the year after the ambush, alleging the city and others were responsible for mishandling records and donations. One of the suits named as defendants the Dallas Police Association and the Assist the Officer Foundation, the charity arm associated with the police union.

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Just over a week shy of the 10th anniversary of the deadliest day in Dallas law enforcement history, City Council members approved the settlement amount without discussion. Robyn Gerard, a city spokesperson, declined to comment after it was approved. The precise terms of the settlement were not clear. Court settlements often include confidentiality agreements that prevent either side from discussing details.

"Katrina Ahrens is pleased to have reached a resolution with the City of Dallas and appreciates the city's efforts to bring that portion of the case to a close," Casey Griffith, Ahrens' attorney, said in a statement Wednesday. "As the 10th anniversary of the attack approaches, Katrina remains focused on honoring Lorne's legacy and remembering him and his fellow officers who made the ultimate sacrifice that day."

The vote appears to signal an end to the city's involvement in the lawsuits, which include disputes over the release of records and allegations about how donations and mail intended for the officer's family were handled.

Katrina Ahrens' first lawsuit, filed in federal court in 2017, sought to block the release of video, audio and other records related to the officer's death during the July 7 ambush, arguing the material was private and its release could harm their family.

The second lawsuit, filed in Johnson County the same year, where Ahrens lives, centered on an agreement the city entered with the Assist the Officer Foundation to have the nonprofit handle mail and donations intended for the families of the slain officers.

Ahrens alleged the city allowed mail and donations intended for her family to be routed through the nonprofit, where checks were opened, logged and deposited without her knowledge or consent. The lawsuit also alleged that some donations were delayed, lost or restricted in ways donors had not been told.

The city twice appealed trial court rulings that allowed claims against it to move forward, including one over governmental immunity. Both times, the 10th Court of Appeals upheld the lower court's rulings. The Texas Supreme Court denied the city's petition for review last year.

The Assist the Officer Foundation and Ahrens agreed to a settlement in 2024, according to court records. A judge ordered the terms sealed. The nonprofit is no longer listed as a defendant.

The lawsuit in Johnson County remains pending, with the Dallas Police Association and Bob Gorsky — a Dallas attorney who previously represented Ahrens — named as defendants.

Ahrens has accused Gorsky of breaching his fiduciary duties and failing to disclose a conflict by representing her while also representing the police union and the charity arm.

Both Gorsky and the police union have denied the allegations in court records. Attorneys representing them did not return messages seeking comment Wednesday.

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