Corey Cobb-Bey, a self-identified Moorish sovereign citizen, recently shot and killed a Dallas police officer, Matthew Burks, and injured two other responding officers. One of the injured officers was shot in the face, while the other remains in critical but stable condition in the hospital. The incident has been described by some officers as an “execution” rather than an “ambush” due to the manner in which it unfolded. According to reports, Cobb-Bey approached the squad car where Burks was seated, briefly spoke with him while recording the interaction on his phone, and then unexpectedly drew a handgun and fired through the window.
In the days leading up to the shooting, Cobb-Bey displayed increasingly erratic behavior. He posted a video on Instagram showing him approaching officers in an unmarked SUV, asking if there were any problems or criminal activity, to which the officers responded calmly and he walked away without incident. His father, Emery Cobb, expressed concern over his son’s recent actions, noting that Corey had been talking about demons and feeling as though he was being followed by police. Emery speculated that his son might have consumed something that was laced, leading to his uncharacteristic behavior.
Corey Cobb-Bey had recently lost his job as a trucker, which his father suggested might have contributed to his mental state. Additionally, in the hours before the shooting, Corey posted a video of a night sky, commenting on what he believed to be a drone and referring to those monitoring him as “devils.” He also posted a video while driving, claiming that “demons” in a black SUV were following him, along with biblical references to Revelations and the casting of people into the “furnace of fire.”
Cobb-Bey’s actions and social media posts reflect a belief consistent with the Moorish sovereign citizen movement combined with a distrust of law enforcement and governmental authority.
LEOs killed by sovereign citizens since 2018:
2018: Tierre Guthrie of Georgia (shot three LEOs –1 of whom was fatally wounded)
2020: Ray Kelly of South Carolina (1 LEO)
2022: Lashawn McNeil of New York (1 LEO)
2022: Ronald Troyke of Colorado (1 LEO)
2024: Corey Cobb-Bey of Texas (shot three LEOs –1 of whom was fatally wounded)