DALLAS, Texas — Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia has identified the officer who was killed Thursday night while making a stop at an Oak Cliff community center.
Darron Burks was a rookie officer who had joined the police force after working as a teacher, Garcia said during a news conference Friday afternoon.
Burks left a deep mark on his time as an educator, among his students at institutions such as “Dallas Can.”
Garcia stressed that Burks was “executed” on Friday, when the suspect who shot him approached him while he was recording the encounter, and suddenly shot him. “It’s one of the most brutal police killings I’ve seen in my career,” the police chief added.
At 10:02 p.m., Corey Cobb-Bey, 30, arrived at the For Oak Cliff Community Center located in the 900 block of East Ledbetter Dr. and parked his white Buick.
According to the initial investigation, two minutes later, at 10:04 p.m., Officer Burks arrived on scene and parked his patrol car in front of the building entrance “between assignment calls.”
Cobb-Bey approached Officer Burks and spoke with him briefly through the driver’s side window of his car and appeared to record the encounter on a cellphone. The suspect then pulled out a handgun and shot Burks, who was sitting in his vehicle, police said in a bulletin issued shortly after the news conference with Chief Garcia.
A police dispatcher heard an “unusual transmission” coming from Officer Burks’ unit, tracked him using GPS and sent other officers to assist him.
Officer Jamie Farmer arrived and fired at the same suspect. Farmer returned fire but was hit by a bullet in the leg.
Karissa David arrived next and was also shot by the suspect, who fired back and was shot in the face during the exchange.
Farmer was treated for his leg wound and released. He is recovering at home, while Officer David remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
Cobb Bey fled the scene and was pursued by patrol cars into Lewisville, where he was shot by six officers after he got out of his car on I-35 with a rifle in his hands and approached the officers who were following him. Police recovered two rifles at the scene.
Police studied the suspect’s recent social media posts and determined that Cobb-Bey’s attack was a premeditated act. They also spoke to his father, who told WFAA-TV that her son had been acting strangely for the past two weeks.
The investigation continues.
Darron Burks was a rookie officer who had joined the police force after working as a teacher, Garcia said during a news conference Friday afternoon.
Burks left a deep mark on his time as an educator, among his students at institutions such as “Dallas Can.”
Garcia stressed that Burks was “executed” on Friday, when the suspect who shot him approached him while he was recording the encounter, and suddenly shot him. “It’s one of the most brutal police killings I’ve seen in my career,” the police chief added.
At 10:02 p.m., Corey Cobb-Bey, 30, arrived at the For Oak Cliff Community Center located in the 900 block of East Ledbetter Dr. and parked his white Buick.
According to the initial investigation, two minutes later, at 10:04 p.m., Officer Burks arrived on scene and parked his patrol car in front of the building entrance “between assignment calls.”
Cobb-Bey approached Officer Burks and spoke with him briefly through the driver’s side window of his car and appeared to record the encounter on a cellphone. The suspect then pulled out a handgun and shot Burks, who was sitting in his vehicle, police said in a bulletin issued shortly after the news conference with Chief Garcia.
A police dispatcher heard an “unusual transmission” coming from Officer Burks’ unit, tracked him using GPS and sent other officers to assist him.
Officer Jamie Farmer arrived and fired at the same suspect. Farmer returned fire but was hit by a bullet in the leg.
Karissa David arrived next and was also shot by the suspect, who fired back and was shot in the face during the exchange.
Farmer was treated for his leg wound and released. He is recovering at home, while Officer David remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
Cobb Bey fled the scene and was pursued by patrol cars into Lewisville, where he was shot by six officers after he got out of his car on I-35 with a rifle in his hands and approached the officers who were following him. Police recovered two rifles at the scene.
Police studied the suspect’s recent social media posts and determined that Cobb-Bey’s attack was a premeditated act. They also spoke to his father, who told WFAA-TV that her son had been acting strangely for the past two weeks.
The investigation continues.
