U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett mourns friend, fallen Dallas police Officer Darron Burks

NORTH TEXAS – In the days since Dallas police Officer Darron Burks was tragically killed, it's clear how many lives he touched. His influence extended far beyond the streets of Dallas, reaching all the way to Capitol Hill.

U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, says she met Burks around 2014 through mutual friends in their fraternity and sorority, long before he became a police officer.

"It's still one of those things that doesn't quite feel real to me," she said. "This really was a gut punch to me. It's someone I considered to be a really great friend."

When Crockett first heard the news of an officer being killed, she had no idea it was Burks, who patrolled in the district she mostly covers. She was shocked to learn that Burks had transitioned from teaching math at Texas Can Academy to policing.

"It hurts to know that I wasn't there to at least celebrate the transition to the police department," Crockett said. "It's tough when you know that someone who really always had your back, to sit there and think… you didn't have their back enough."

Crockett remembers Burks as a caring man with a servant's heart and believes his death is a significant loss for the entire North Texas community. She hopes to rearrange her schedule to attend his services this weekend and urges others to honor his life in a simple but meaningful way.

"This was a guy who had a million-dollar smile and would always look to lift someone else up. So, if you have a chance, do your part. Try to lift someone up," she said.