DALLAS — A convicted felon who operated a fraudulent security company while impersonating a police officer was shot and killed by Dallas SWAT officers Wednesday night after barricading himself in a hospital parking garage and pointing a gun at law enforcement.
The man, known publicly as Mike King, had been working as part of U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s security detail while wanted on outstanding warrants for impersonating a law enforcement officer. His death has exposed a major security breach involving a sitting member of Congress and raised questions about oversight in the multi-billion-dollar off-duty police services industry. Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux said the shooting occurred around 7:30 p.m. as fugitive task force members conducted surveillance on King at Children’s Medical Center Dallas.
The confrontation began when members of the fugitive task force followed King into a parking garage at Children’s Medical Center in the 1900 block of Medical District Drive, according to Chief Comeaux. King barricaded himself inside his vehicle, prompting authorities to call SWAT officers to the scene. Officers deployed tear gas and other methods to force him from the car. “When he exited the vehicle, officers said he pointed a gun at them,” Comeaux stated. SWAT officers then opened fire, killing King at the scene. Multiple law enforcement sources told CBS News Texas that King had been using aliases while running Off Duty Police Services, an online platform that connected North Texas officers with off-duty security assignments.
Sources revealed that King had convinced clients and even some police officers that he was a legitimate law enforcement officer despite his extensive criminal history. Court records show he had prior felony theft convictions involving hundreds of thousands of dollars. King drove a replica undercover police vehicle and used license plates stolen from cars outside a military recruiting office, according to law enforcement sources. He posted photographs of himself in what appeared to be a police uniform and claimed to have high-profile clients including banks, hotels and political figures. Sean Pease, president of the Dallas Police Association, said King “manipulated several different things at a very high level to produce identification and go through the same verification process to appear as a law enforcement officer.” Sources said investigators found multiple identification cards and aliases linked to King, requiring authorities to use fingerprints to confirm his identity.
Images obtained by CBS News Texas show King standing close to Crockett at campaign events during her recent run for a U.S. Senate seat, which she lost earlier this month to Rep. James Talarico in the Democratic primary. Sources said King oversaw security teams at several downtown Dallas hotels, at his church, and at Crockett’s political events. Documents show a person named Mike King received payments for “security services” from Crockett as recently as last year. King’s business was posting security jobs through RollKall, a platform commonly used by police officers to sign up for off-duty work. According to sources, some Dallas officers unknowingly worked security assignments believing King’s company was legitimate. Police sources said King sometimes requested additional personal information from officers outside the RollKall platform, raising concerns about potential identity theft or data compromise.
The case has highlighted vulnerabilities in the unregulated off-duty police services sector, where no federal licensing requirements exist for private security companies. RollKall released a statement confirming that King “is not, and has never been, a RollKall employee” and that “at no point was this individual able to access or disseminate the personal data or personally identifiable information of any other person on the platform.” The company said it actively cooperated with Dallas police during their investigation. Pease expressed concern about officers’ personal information potentially being compromised, stating that “our officers are definitely very concerned because they want to make sure that when they provide their information, that it is protected.” The incident adds to recent controversies surrounding Crockett’s security team, including allegations that an armed guard escorted a journalist from a campaign event after labeling her a “top-notch hater.”
Dallas police said their investigation into the shooting remains ongoing, with body camera footage from the SWAT officers expected to be released. Authorities are also examining how King was able to obtain weapons, operate a security company, and maintain his deception while being a convicted felon. Crockett’s office has declined to answer questions about the security vetting process or King’s role in her protection detail. The congressman’s silence has intensified scrutiny over how a wanted fugitive with an extensive criminal background was able to gain such close access to a sitting member of Congress. Federal authorities may launch broader investigations into the oversight gaps that allowed King’s fraudulent operation to continue undetected while placing armed security guards at high-profile locations and events.
The shooting occurred at one of Dallas’s major medical facilities, where King had fled during the surveillance operation. Sources said the fugitive task force had been tracking King due to his outstanding warrants when the fatal confrontation unfolded. The case represents what experts describe as a systemic failure in an industry worth over $100 billion annually, where private companies can operate with minimal oversight. State and federal regulators are expected to examine whether new licensing requirements or background check standards are needed for off-duty police service platforms. The incident has also raised questions about congressional security protocols and whether additional vetting procedures should be implemented for private contractors working with elected officials.
Authorities continue to investigate the full scope of King’s fraudulent activities and whether other clients or law enforcement officers were affected by his deception. The release of SWAT body camera footage and official police reports will provide additional details about the circumstances leading to King’s death and the extent of his impersonation scheme.
