Dallas, TX
Memorial park to honor fallen Dallas police officer Darron Burks ‘in the city he loved’
Taylor Toynes had just tucked his son into bed on Aug. 29, 2024, when he was rushed back to For Oak Cliff to find tragedy had struck on its doorstep.
While sitting in his patrol car, parked in the center’s lot, Dallas police officer Darron Burks, 46, was fatally shot in a brazen attack that wounded two other officers and scarred southeast Oak Cliff.
For weeks, Toynes watched as the haven he founded to be a beacon of hope for the community became a makeshift memorial instead. Hundreds of people came and went — to light candles and tie balloons, to reminisce and reflect, to question God and to pray.
Almost immediately, Toynes recalled, his perspective shifted.
Let me shine a light, he thought. Let me teach you something.
Tyrone Gonzales, who were fraternity brothers of Dallas police Officer Darron Burks, hug during a vigil at For Oak Cliff on Aug. 30, 2024.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)
“We know it’s the tragedy of death we’re dealing with,” Toynes said in an interview with The Dallas Morning News earlier this month. “But we also recognize that this is someone who needs to be honored for their spirit and their courage.”
And so came the vision for the nonprofit’s next project: The Darron Burks Memorial Park.
Their highest hopes, aligned
Long before Burks joined the Dallas Police Department, he was a student at Paul Quinn College, where he was a football player and president of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He was described as a “pure man” who never smoked, drank or cursed, and checked in on his friends daily.
For 17 years, Burks was a math teacher at Texans CAN Academies, a charter school that helps students recover credits to graduate.
In 2023, he brought the leadership skills he honed in the classroom to the police academy, where he helped corral the younger officers and keep them in line. They nicknamed him “Papa Burks.”
The challenge for For Oak Cliff wasn’t whether they wanted to memorialize Burks, but how they possibly could.
Toynes considered a traditional monument, but worried something so modest might allow Burks’ legacy to become synonymous with the tragedy that cut his life short.
Instead, his staff hopes to honor every part of Burks’ journey.
After drafting some ideas of their own, Amber Hartfield, For Oak Cliff’s director of operations, said her team met first with Burks’ mother, Cherie Jeffery, to get both her input and her blessing. They found her dreams for a permanent memorial aligned almost “word for word” with their own.
“She loved every bit of it, and she was really grateful that the community is coming together to do something like this for her son,” Hartfield said.
Ideally, the park, which will sit on For Oak Cliff’s property, will include an outdoor classroom, a playground and fitness equipment featuring educational quotes and words of encouragement, a garden with seating and a memorial plaque, and a mural symbolizing Burks’ faith, leadership and love for his community.
“To pull up and see people out there playing, sitting together, reflecting, whatever it is, I think that’s it,” Toynes said. “That is joy. That is living.”
Jeffery, according to Hartfield, was especially adamant about pursuing the garden, yearning for a space designed to bring families together, an ode to the bond she shared with her son.
“We really want to honor all of her wishes,” Hartfield said. “We want to do our best to make all of it come true.”
Park to be built in phases
Hartfield and Toynes said a partnership with Leadership Dallas has been instrumental in connecting them with organizations, fundraising campaigns and pro bono services that will help them see the park through.
”Officer Burks’ legacy will forever remain etched in the heart of the city he loved, and he will always be remembered as a true hero,” a Dallas police spokeswoman wrote in a statement sent to The News. “We are honored to see Officer Burks’ memory live on.”
They’re still in the early stages of crafting designs, but anticipate it could take anywhere from $275,000 to $500,000 to complete the project.
It’s too soon to grasp the timeline, but Hartfield said the park will be built in phases as the money is raised.
For Burks’ mother, they’ll start with the garden.
To donate or sponsor a portion of the park, the North Texas Giving Day fundraiser can be accessed here.
The Dallas Cowboys were initially in the mix for Las Vegas Raiders superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby ahead of NFL free agency, and were believed to be one of the finalists in trade talks. However, he was ultimately traded to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks.
Now, the NFL world has been turned on its head with the Ravens deciding to pull out of the trade agreement with Las Vegas.
On Tuesday night, NFL insider Adam Schefter was among the experts discussing what went wrong between the Raiders and Ravens, revealing that Cowboys team physician Dr. Daniel Cooper, one of the premier knee specialists, played a role in the Ravens’ evaluation of Crosby.
Schefter discussed how Dr. Cooper was among the doctors who reviewed scans on Crosby’s knee, which ultimately spooked the Ravens and triggered the end of the deal.
“The Baltimore Ravens essentially failed him on their physical, and my understanding is there were multiple doctors that reviewed his MRI scans,” Schefter said. “There were doctors that examined him, including Dr. Daniel Cooper, the Dallas Cowboys doctor that performed surgery on Patrick Mahomes and Malik Nabers.
“Many teams and players rely on Dr. Cooper’s expertise, and Dr. Cooper was one of the doctors who reviewed the images where the Ravens then felt compelled to back out of this trade.”
It’s hard not to connect the dots that Dr. Cooper’s involvement in the medical review of Crosby led to the team deciding against re-engaging in trade discussions. Though that could change, currently, the Cowboys are expected to move forward with Pro Bowl EDGE Rashan Gary, who the team agreed to acquire from the Green Bay Packers for a 2027 fourth-round pick on the first day of legal tampering.
It will be interesting to continue monitoring the situation and its fallout, which has left the Raiders in a terrible position.
But, with the Raiders now forced to re-examine the money they committed to free agents on Wednesday evening, they may have to pull out of one of their own agreements, which could open the door for the Cowboys to reopen their pursuit of a linebacker like Nakobe Dean or Quay Walker.
The 2026 NFL calendar year officially begins on Wednesday, March 11, at 4:00 p.m. ET, so get your popcorn ready, because it’s going to be a wild ride.
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Dallas Cowboys Nation’s hopes of landing superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby were dashed last weekend when it was announced that he was being traded to the Baltimore Ravens. However, less than 24 hours before the new year, the trade has fallen apart.
On Tuesday night, the Las Vegas Raiders announced that the Ravens have backed out of the trade.
“The Baltimore Ravens have backed out of our trade agreement for Maxx Crosby,” the statement read. “We will have no further comment at this time.”
The news sends a major ripple for the league, with the Crosby sweepstakes once again open. Before his trade to the Ravens, the Cowboys were considered one of the teams closely monitoring the situation and a team that made a legitimate offer for Crosby.
At this time, there is no word on why the trade between Las Vegas and Baltimore fell through. When the trade was first reported, the Raiders were set to receive a 2026 and 2027 first-round pick from the Ravens.
Now, his future is in limbo. Before he was traded to the Ravens, it was believed that the Cowboys, Chicago Bears, and Los Angeles Rams were the top candidates to land him. In fact, the Cowboys were “considered runner-ups” in the sweepstakes.
Dallas’ Original Trade Offer
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Cowboys initially offered the No. 12 overall pick in the 2026 draft, a 2027 second-round pick, and an unnamed veteran player.
“Dallas kept a hard line throughout. The franchise wasn’t willing to part with two first-round picks, hoping its 12th pick in April’s draft, plus a future second-rounder, would be enough to entice Las Vegas. Dallas was also willing to package a veteran player to sweeten the deal, but Vegas wasn’t interested in that. The Raiders prioritized picks,” Fowler wrote.
Last season, Crosby recorded 73 total tackles, 28 tackles for a loss, 20 quarterback hits, 10 sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception.
We’ll have to see if Dallas ends up being his new home, now that the team has a second chance to make something special happen, but there will be some serious competition. The 2026 NFL calendar year officially begins on Wednesday, March 11, at 4:00 p.m. ET.
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DALLAS – Severe thunderstorms are forecast to return to North Texas late Tuesday, bringing threats of damaging hail, high winds and localized flooding. While the primary concerns are wind and hail, a few tornadoes cannot be ruled out.
Tuesday Forecast
Dallas weather: Mar. 10 morning forecast
We have another chance of severe storms starting Tuesday afternoon. Meteorologist Ali Turiano has your forecast and everything you need to know ahead of the storms.
Scattered showers and storms are expected to develop as a dryline to the west moves into the region. Storm conditions are expected to intensify as the day progresses.
The greatest concerns remain damaging winds and large hail. The leading edge of the storm front will likely be the most intense, with the potential for straight-line winds and brief spin-up tornadoes.
LIVE Radar: Dallas-Fort Worth
Dallas Storms: Timing and Impact
The highest potential for severe weather in the Metroplex is from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., though lingering activity could continue until 2 a.m. Wednesday. Residents are advised to seek shelter immediately if a warning is issued for their area.
7-Day Forecast
A final round of storms is expected Wednesday, primarily between noon and 7 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. These storms carry a threat of half-dollar-sized hail and damaging winds.
Behind this system, North Texas will dry out and briefly cool off. Sunny skies return Thursday with a high in the mid-60s. Temperatures will then warm into the upper 70s on Friday before a sunny weekend with highs in the low 80s.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the National Weather Service and FOX 4 forecasters.
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