the Dallas police officer who was killed in an ambush shooting near the oakcliff community center was a former high school math teacher and Coach officer Darren Burks was executed late Thursday night by Corey cob Bay according to Dallas Police Burks was shot and killed after cob Bay came up to him while he was sitting in his squad car B Cobb spoke to Burks through the window while recording on his phone he then pulled out a gun and shot Burks two other officers who responded to a call for backup were shot cob Bay was shot and killed at the end of a high-speed police chase on Interstate 35 from Dallas to Lewisville as a department we are devastated said Dallas police chief Eddie Garcia officer Darren Burks was a son a nephew a friend to many and he was senselessly and tragically murdered in the line of duty Burks was a math teacher at Texas Can Academy's Pleasant Grove campus from June 2006 to February 2023 last year officer Burks bravely decided to leave the field of Education to serve our city as a member of the Dallas Police Department his commitment to serving others both as a teacher and as a police officer exemplified his dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of those around him wrote Tina Shaw the principal at Texas Can Academy's Pleasant Grove campus Texas can officials described Burks as an excellent educator and a mentor to countless students as a troubled youth he made sure instill knowledge and provide me with the tools I needed to graduate to be a man out out here in this world I am very thankful for him and the time he spent with me said Adrien Coleman who played basketball for Burks Burks entered the Dallas Police Academy last year Burks graduated from Lake Highlands High School in 1988 and studied at Paul Quinn college where he was a member of the Omega Psi Fraternity he was part of the first graduating class when I became president in 2007 said Michael sorl president of Paul Quinn college Darren was a loved member of this community he was a wonderful fraternity member to his brothers at Omega Psi he was a wonderful Alum to Paul Quinn he invested in this institution and we will miss him we will honor his memory we are grateful that we knew him for the time we had him we just wish we had him for longer the fraternity planned a candlelight vigil for Burks at the oakcliff community center on Friday people are asked to arrive by 6:30 p.m. the vigil is expected to begin shortly after 7:00 another ceremony will be held at Winter's Smokehouse in Cedar Hill Dallas mayor Eric Johnson asked that city flags be flown at half staff in his honor