Hundreds are expected to gather at Paul Quinn College Wednesday to remember fallen Dallas police officer Darron Burks who attended the school. Burks was ambushed and killed while on duty outside an Oak Cliff community center last week.
This vigil is the latest in a continuing string of events designed to remember his legacy as the community struggles to heal from the tragedy.
“Grief is hard when you do it alone. But when you have a community to do it with friends and family to do it with stories to share, it makes it just a little bit easier to deal with” Burk’s friend and fraternity brother, Keio Gamble said.
Gamble, who also helped organize the Paul Quinn College vigil, said Burks was a force in his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, and in his community.
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“The world has lost one of the brightest lights it has ever seen. We lost a leader. We lost a brother. We lost a friend,” Gamble said. “He's the perfect example of doing it right. We lost an example of how to do life the right way. The world has really lost a giant.”
Friends say they aren’t surprised by the thousands of people who have shown up for memorial events. They say these are the kinds of events Burks would have attended with a wise word and an uplifting smile.
“We're just celebrating his life, his legacy, his character and his reputation. We're celebrating the things that actually made him who he is and what made us love him,” Gamble said. “I just wish he could see it. I wish he could really see and receive these flowers that he's getting.”
The Paul Quinn College vigil is set to start at 7:04 p.m. and is open to the public.
