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Site where Dallas police officer was slain less than 24 hours ago becomes place of prayer

Officer Darron Burks, 46, was fatally shot Thursday night in southeast Oak Cliff

Update:
9:33 a.m. Aug. 31, 2024: This story has been updated to correct Officer Darron Burks' name.

Darron Burks would’ve been the pick for chapter chaplain of Paul Quinn College Omega Psi Phi fraternity brothers. He would’ve been the one standing with them all Friday, said Thomas Johnson, his college classmate.

“He would have been the one that prayed,” Johnson said. “He would have been the one that would have showcased the best of what Omega was.”

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Instead hundreds of people gathered for a candlelight vigil to honor him Friday at the For Oak Cliff community center, where, less than 24 hours earlier, the 46-year-old was fatally shot in his patrol vehicle during a break between assignments.

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Dallas police said Corey Cobb-Bey, 30, spoke with Burks briefly through the driver’s side window about 10 p.m. Thursday before pulling out a handgun and killing him. Two officers who responded to the incident were shot and wounded.

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“We are devastated,” Dallas police Chief Eddie García said at a news conference Friday afternoon. “The investigation determined last night was premeditated, again for no other reason than the uniform we wear.”

The late officer was described as a “pure” man who never smoked, drank or cursed. He checked in on his best friends daily to see how they were doing and was the first to hop at any function, making everyone laugh right along with him.

He was also a former school teacher who’d just completed police training, class 392. Several of his classmates stood in the front row at the vigil, leaving room to save Burks a spot. In his place were a pair of metallic gold combat boots with purple laces — the signature colors for Omega Psi Phi — and a vase of white flowers.

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A Dallas police officer places a flower on a memorial surrounding his fraternity boots...
A Dallas police officer places a flower on a memorial surrounding his fraternity boots during a vigil for Dallas police officer Darron Burks at For Oak Cliff on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Dallas. Burks was killed and two other officers were wounded in a shooting Thursday night in Oak Cliff.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

Before enrolling in the police academy, Burks reached out to friend and officer Nikki Andrews. She walked him through recruitment, connected him with human resources and anything else he needed.

“Did you ask God?” Andrews asked Burks. “Was this OK?”

“Yes,” he promised. “This is my calling.”

The uniform completed his task here on earth, Andrews told the crowd, but God saw something bigger and better for him.

Alex Cooper (facing) and Tyrone Gonzales, who were fraternity brothers of Dallas police...
Alex Cooper (facing) and Tyrone Gonzales, who were fraternity brothers of Dallas police officer Darron Burks, hug during a vigil at For Oak Cliff on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Dallas. Burks was killed and two other officers were wounded in a shooting Thursday night in Oak Cliff.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

Cpl. Maurice Addison, who oversaw class 392, said the academy is usually full of youngsters — men fresh out of college or the military. Burks, on the other hand, was transitioning into policing after 17 years as an educator, so the “militant” style Addison was used to training with wouldn’t work, he said.

“I couldn’t go there with Burks,” Addison said with a laugh. “For one, we were about the same age.”

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In Burks, Addison said he saw “extreme leadership skills,” skills he used to help Addison corral the younger officers and keep them in check. When Burks gave orders, he said, no one took offense. In fact, they nicknamed him “Papa Burks.”

WATCH: Residents gather in Oak Cliff to honor slain Dallas police officer
Mourners gather to remember slain Dallas police officer Darron Burks during a vigil on Friday evening.

He went about his life, his job, everything with love and compassion, Addison said.

“There’s something that says there’s just a few good men left,” Addison said. “Officer Burks is one of them.”

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CORRECTION, 9:33 a.m., Aug. 31: An earlier version of this story misspelled Officer Darron Burks’ last name in a later reference.

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