Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas has said a man fatally shot by Dallas police had worked on her security team under a different name.
Diamon Mazairre Robinson, 39, died after an hours-long standoff on March 11 when officers tracked a vehicle with stolen government plates to a hospital parking garage, used tear gas and shot him after he exited and drew a handgun, according to Dallas police.
Crockett said in a statement on Monday that Robinson had once worked for her using the name Mike King.
Newsweek contacted Dallas police and Crockett’s office for comment via email outside normal working hours.
Why It Matters
The case has raised concerns about the contracting and vetting of personal security personnel used by lawmakers outside Washington, where most members rely on private vendors and local coordination rather than protection from U.S. Capitol Police.
What To Know
Robinson died after he fled the police, who tried to pull him over on March 11, according to the Dallas Police Department (DPD). There was an hours-long standoff in a hospital parking lot before he exited the car, pulled a weapon and was shot dead, the department said at a Monday press conference, according to the Texas Tribune.
Crockett’s office said in a statement shared on social media that Robinson, whom she called Mike, “had been in and around our team for years.”
“There was never any reason to suspect that he wasn’t who he held himself out to be,” the statement continued. “He never endangered our team, worked diligently, coordinated with local law enforcement, and maintained positive relationships throughout the community.”
“Mike always conducted himself respectfully and with care for those around him,” the statement added.
It also said, “The fact that an individual was able to somehow circumvent the vetting processes for something as sensitive as security for members of Congress highlights the loopholes and shortcomings in many of our systems.”
Crockett’s office said the “situation reiterates the need for Capitol Police to provide security for members of Congress, especially under this administration’s new normal of inciting attacks on those who dare to speak out.”
“We are fortunate that this is someone who used those loopholes without malice,” the statement said.
Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Capitol Police for comment via email outside normal office hours.
Robinson had multiple felony warrants, including impersonating a police officer and stolen license plates, as well as a parole violation warrant, according to the Texas Tribune.
Officials said he had created identification for a fictitious agency called “Specialty Dignitary Police.”
Robinson lived as Mike King for years, officers said. His identity was discovered after Irving police put out an alert for a vehicle with stolen government plates, which a Dallas officer recognized from when he had worked with Robinson on a security job months earlier.
Crockett’s campaign for the Democratic nomination in the U.S. Senate race in Texas ended earlier this month, after which investigators discovered Robinson’s identity, DPD Deputy Chief William Kenneth said.
Crockett’s office said that, after “an initial review of the limited criminal history of Diamon Mazairre Robinson in Dallas County,” it was “unable to locate any violent offenses.”
“With that being said, we are praying for the friends and family of the man that we knew as Mike King,” it continued.
“As a former public defender, the Congresswoman has always believed that people have an immense capacity for redemption and deserve second chances,” the statement added.
What People Are Saying
Representative Jasmine Crockett’s office said in a statement: “What we’re now learning about his past doesn’t fit the person we came to know as Mike King. His death evokes a range of emotions. Our hearts grieve the loss of someone we knew and the lost good that could have come from his redemption.”
What Happens Next
Dallas police and federal authorities are investigating Robinson’s activities—including alleged impersonation and stolen government plates and firearms—with findings likely to inform potential criminal probes into associates or suppliers.
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