Dallas police shooting: Officer 'executed by coward' in ambush attack; 2nd officer remains critical
DALLAS - A Dallas police officer was killed in an ambush shooting in Oak Cliff Thursday night. The gunman also shot two of his fellow officers.
In a Friday afternoon press conference, Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia identified Darron Burks as the fallen officer. He also identified the suspect as 30-year-old Corey Cobb-Bey.
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Two Dallas police senior corporals, Officer Jamie Farmer and Officer Karissa David, were also shot.
David was shot in the face and is still fighting for her life in the hospital. Farmer was shot in the leg and is recovering at home.
Dallas Police Officer ‘Executed’
Around 10:02 p.m., police say Corey Cobb-Bey parked in the For Oak Cliff Community Center parking lot on Ledbetter Road near Marsalis Avenue. Shortly after, Officer Burks pulled into the parking lot as well.
While recording on his phone, Cobb-Bey approached Burks and talked to him through the window.
"The suspect then pulled out a handgun and executed Officer Burks as he sat in his vehicle," Chief Garcia said.
A police dispatcher heard a strange transmission coming from Burks’ radio. When the dispatcher could not reach Burks, they used Burks' GPS location to find him and sent backup officers there.
Chief Garcia says Cobb-Bey returned to his car to grab a shotgun and placed it on top of Burks’ squad car.
At 10:11 p.m., Dallas Police Senior Corporal Jamie Farmer pulled into the parking lot. Cobb-Bey then immediately started shooting at Farmer with his handgun, Garcia says.
Officer Farmer returned fire and ran across the parking lot. Garcia says Cobb-Bey grabbed the shotgun he placed on top of the squad car and fired one shot at Farmer. He was hit once in the leg.
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At 10:12 p.m. Senior Corporal Karissa David pulled up to the parking lot entrance. Chief Garcia says Cobb-Bey ran towards the officer and shot her several times as she got out of her squad car.
Officer David returned fire but was shot in the face.
As more backup arrived, Cobb-Bey drove off, and a chase ensued.
Suspect Killed After High-Speed Chase
TxDOT cameras captured the police chase as it moved along Loop 12, headed north alongside the west side of Dallas, eventually making its way onto I-35E.
The chase came to an end in Lewisville on the expressway just north of Highway 121 when Cobb-Bey got out of his car with a shotgun in hand.
Police say Cobb-Bey approached the officer and pointed his gun at them. Several officers then opened fire, hitting Cobb-Bey several times.
Cobb-Bey died at the scene. No officers there were injured.
A Premeditated Attack by a ‘Coward’
Chief Garcia called the shooting a premeditated attack, evident by Cobb-Bey’s posts on social media.
Through his social media, officers learned that Cobb-Bey approached an officer in an unmarked squad car three days ago recorded as he questioned the officers about why they were parked there.
Detectives found a cryptic post Cobb-Bey indicating something would be happening on Friday.
"Our officers were targeted by this coward," the chief said during a police briefing. "And for no other reason than the uniform that we wear… that my men and woman proudly wear."
Police recovered two shotguns from the Lewisville scene.
Back over in the community center parking lot, police recovered the 9mm handgun that Cobb-Bey used and a separate .22 caliber handgun.
Police said all of his guns were purchased legally.
The Dallas County DA’s Office is investigating the shooting. The Office of Community Police Oversight was notified,
Body camera and dash-camera footage of Thursday night's incident will be released next week.
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The two injured officers, Farmer and David, were taken to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center.
David remains in critical condition. Farmer was released from the hospital and is recovering at home.
Officer Darron Burks was taken to Methodist Dallas Medical Center, where dozens of police officers could be seen waiting outside throughout the night. At one point, officers could be seen saluting as someone was escorted out of a vehicle and into the hospital.
At 4 a.m., a procession was held as Burks’ body was moved from Methodist Hospital to the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office.
Fellow officers stood at attention and saluted as the officer's body arrived at the ME's office.