New mural to honor fallen PSPD officers killed in the line of duty nearly 5 years ago

A new mural is being painted in downtown Palm Springs honoring Palm Springs police officers Jose "Gil" Vega and Lesley Zerebny, who were killed in the line of duty in 2016.

The installation was commissioned by the Palm Springs Police Officers' Association ahead of the 5-year anniversary of the officers' deaths next month. It's located at the Town and Country Center in downtown Palm Springs. Artist Michael Angelo Hernandez is one of the painters.

"They were good people and we just want to bring all the community together," Hernandez said. "We know that art matters and art is important so we're just bringing it all together."

The mural features portraits of both Vega and Zerebny, as well as the El Mirador Tower at Desert Regional Medical Center. "We did put the hospital there. That's a landmark; this (location) is a landmark," he said. "This is going be a perfect spot for them to be in the mural here."

Vega and Zerebny lost their lives on Oct. 8, 2016 after convicted cop killer John Hernandez Felix fired an assault rifle through a screen door as they responded to a domestic dispute. 

"We're going to do our very best to do the best mural we can," Hernandez said. "We're gonna honor them and we're gonna leave their legacy alive."

Questions have been raised about whether the proper permits were obtained for the mural. In a statement to News Channel 3, a Palm Springs city spokeswoman said: “The property owner gave the POA permission to create a mural at the Town and Country Center. The POA was unaware of the city’s permitting process and is moving forward with getting the mural approved in the required manner.”

Hernandez said it's a permanent reminder of the lasting impact two heroes had on the community. "We leave stories and we leave memories and we see what we did in that time, so we want to leave a memory for them," he said.

The mural is expected to be completed in a few weeks. It's set to be unveiled on the fifth anniversary of Vega and Zerebny's deaths: Oct. 8.