The Dallas Police Department gave an emotional update following the shooting death of Officer Darren Burke, saying the former high school teacher was “hanged” in the line of duty.
In a press conference Friday, Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said the department had lost a “brother” and a “hero” After the firing.
“As a department and as a family we are heartbroken,” Garcia said. “Last night we lost a brother, a hero. Officer Darren Burks was a son, a nephew, a friend to many, and he was needlessly and tragically killed in the line of duty.”
Burks was killed and two other officers were injured in the shooting about 10 p.m. Thursday near the Oak Cliff Community Center.
The suspected gunman, identified as 30-year-old Corey Cobb-Bey, was killed in a shootout with police following a highway chase.
“We came very close to losing other officers,” Garcia said. “Officers who put their lives on the line to protect their brother, and it's by the grace of God that they're still with us today.”
The police chief said the officers were “targeted” by Cobb-Bey.
“Our officers were targeted simply because of the uniform they wear and the brave and honorable work they do,” he said. “Let me be clear here, the term ambush has been used a lot in the last 24 hours. That is not what happened here. Officer Burke was killed.”
Garcia revealed that Cobb-Bey approached Burks and initiated a conversation, recorded the encounter on a mobile phone, then pulled out a gun and opened fire.
Police said they had no evidence that Burks and Cobb-Bey knew each other.
“Cobb-Bey approached Burke and sat at the driver's side window and spoke with him briefly and recorded the encounter on a cellphone,” he said. “The suspect then pulled out a handgun and shot Officer Burke while he was sitting in his vehicle.”
Police said they received a 911 call reporting an officer in distress. Officers who arrived at the scene found Burke seriously injured in his patrol vehicle.
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At 10:11 p.m., Senior Corporal Jamie Farmer arrived in the parking lot after responding to a call for backup. Farmer was met with gunfire from Cobb-Bey. When Farmer returned fire, Cobb-Bey grabbed the shotgun and fired at Farmer, hitting Farmer in the leg.
A minute later, Senior Corporal Carissa David arrived on the scene.
Cobb-Bey ran toward David and shot her multiple times as she exited her vehicle.
According to police, David was shot in the face.
The officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect, and two additional officers were shot.
The suspect was shot and killed during a high-speed police chase on Interstate 35 from Dallas to Louisville.
Fox 4 cited sources as saying Burks was a former high school math teacher at the Texas Can Academy's Pleasant Grove campus who had a passion for helping his community, which led him to enroll in the police academy.
“Last year, Officer Burke made the courageous decision to leave the field of education to serve our city as a member of the Dallas Police Department. His commitment to serving others as both an educator and a police officer reflected his dedication to positively impacting the lives of those around him,” wrote Tina Shaw, principal of Texas Can Academy's Pleasant Grove campus.
A former student, Adrian Coleman, said Burks offered guidance to troubled young people.
“As a troubled youth, he made sure to impart the knowledge and gave me the tools I needed to graduate so I could be a man in this world,” Coleman told the local outlet. “I’m so grateful for him and the time he spent with me.”
A rookie police officer, Burks first entered the Dallas Police Academy last year.
