DALLAS — An officer with the Dallas Police Department (DPD) was shot and killed Thursday evening, and two other officers were injured in the same incident, officials said.
At about 10:10 p.m., DPD said officers responded to an "officer in distress" call in the 900 block of East Ledbetter Drive. Upon arriving at the scene, police said, the responding officers -- in the parking lot outside of the facilities of the community organization For Oak Cliff -- found a suspect near a squad car belonging to rookie Dallas Police Officer Darron Burks, who had been shot.
During a press conference on Friday afternoon, Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said the killing was not an ambush, but an "execution" perpetrated by suspect Corey Cobb-Bey.
Garcia said Cobb-Bey, 30, had been parked in the area when Burks, 46, arrived to pull off of the road between calls. Police said Cobb-Bey approached Burks' squad car once the officer arrived in the lot, talking to him and filming him with his cell phone -- and then executing him while still filming.
Garcia said DPD would not be releasing the video Cobb-Bey shot of Burks' death.
"One of the most brutal cop killings that I've seen in my career," Garcia said about the killing. "A matter of seconds."
Shortly after Burks was shot, a police dispatcher noticed something was wrong over his radio and sent Snr. Cpl. Jamie Farmer and Snr. Cpl. Karissa David to the scene to investigate.
Farmer responded first, Garcia said, and Cobb-Bey immediately fired a handgun at Farmer, Garcia said. While Farmer returned fire, he was shot once in the leg by Cobb-Bey.
Garcia said David responded a minute later, at which point Cobb-Bey ran up to and shot at her multiple times. David returned fire, Garcia said, but was shot in the face during the exchange.
All three officers shot on Thursday night were with the South Central Patrol Division, sources said.
In the wake of those initial shootings, a chase ensued with law enforcement pursuing the suspect as he traveled north from Dallas along I-35E.
Along that pursuit, the Lewisville Police Department was called in to assist DPD in the chase. According to an email obtained by WFAA from the Lewisville police chief to his staff, the suspect was chased by police to Lewisville and was then fatally shot in the 1000 block of Stemmons Freeway -- about 25 miles away from the initial incident.
According to Garcia, Cobb-Bey reportedly got out of his vehicle in Lewisville with a shotgun -- at which point he was shot by Officers Nathaniel Baker, David Lem, Corie Reed, Richard Pace, Vladmir Perez and Joel Portillo. The suspect died at the scene, DPD said.
Sources told WFAA that two additional handguns allegedly belonging to Cobb-Bey were also found at the scene.
The Lewisville police chief said none of the Lewisville officers fired their weapons.
"As a department, and as a family, we are devastated," Garcia said. "Last night, we lost a brother -- a hero."
Garcia said his officers were "targeted" for nothing more than the uniform they wear.
Garcia said that further investigation also determined, based on posts from Cobb-Bey's social media posts, that this incident was pre-meditated.
Multiple sources later identified the suspect to WFAA as Cobb-Bey. Public records also indicate that the white 2005 Buick Century sedan that was involved in the chase was registered to Cobb-Bey.
Northbound lanes on I-35E at SB-121 Business Road in Lewisville were blocked off along the scene in Lewisville throughout the early hours of Friday morning. Those lanes were re-opened shortly after 7 a.m.
Sources told WFAA that the three DPD officers who were shot on Ledbetter were hospitalized at two Dallas hospitals: Baylor Scott & White in Dallas and Methodist Dallas Medical Center.
Only Burks was taken by ambulance, sources say. The other two officers who were shot were taken by police cars.
Burks was pronounced dead at Methodist, police said.
Garcia said Burks was also a former teacher, and he described him as an unbelievable friend. He said he spoke to Burks' mother earlier Friday, who told him he called her every night.
"I gave him his badge," Garcia said about Burks' graduation ceremony from the police academy. "He was so proud. He was the type of individual we want wearing this uniform. He was taken from us far too soon."
A celebration of life for Officer Burks will be held Saturday, Sept. 7 at Watermark Church in Dallas.
The other two officers shot by Cobb-Bey were taken to Baylor, police said. One of the officers had to undergo surgery in the wake of the shooting, and she remains in the hospital in critical condition, police said. The third officer, who was shot in the leg at the initial scene, has since been released from the hospital, sources confirmed.
In a post to X on Friday morning, Garcia first reacted to the news of the shooting by simply writing, "No words."
"Our department is hurting," DPD Communications Director Kristin Lowman said in an early morning press conference on Friday. "We ask tonight and this morning for the thoughts and prayers for our city, for not only those recovering in the hospital, but for our fallen, for their family and for their loved ones."
At about 1:20 a.m. Friday, dozens of DPD officers and law enforcement could be seen lined up at the front door of the Methodist hospital. Outside of the hospital, Colorado Boulevard was completely lined up with police cruisers with their lights on. A few officers even had to run traffic control due to the street being so full.
At about 2 a.m., WFAA cameras captured officers saluting as Burks' family was escorted out of a vehicle and into the hospital.
Police officers also stood outside the emergency room entrance at Baylor Scott & White in Dallas overnight.
Dallas City Council Member Carolyn King Arnold, who represents District 4 where the fatal shooting took place, called the incident "very painful."
"This is just a tragedy that happened, and it was just absolutely senseless," King Arnold said.
Numerous police departments and local officials offered their condolences to the Dallas Police Department early Friday morning.
Flags at all City of Dallas facilities were flown at half-staff on Friday. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, Sept. 7 at Watermark Church in Dallas.
Texas Rangers, DPD and the District Attorney's Office are all investigating the shooting, officials told WFAA. The investigation is ongoing, those agencies said.
More Texas headlines: