Slain Colorado deputy has ties to North Texas

A Colorado deputy killed in an ambush in a Denver suburb has ties to North Texas.

29-year old Zackari Parrish was a husband, father of two young girls and an alum of Dallas Baptist University. The school’s president said in a statement that the DBU family is grief-stricken by the tragic killing of one of their own.

Parrish graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2009 with a degree in communications. Chris Holloway was his resident advisor.

"Zack is a guy who loved life, fun loving, always had a smile on his face, could bring joy to you,” he said. “Anytime that someone would visit their room, they always took a Polaroid picture of that person or people who came by. They were all over the wall. Zack just valued people."

Parrish met his wife at DBU. Anthony Ball attended college and First Baptist Church Irving with Parrish. He remembers when Parrish started dating her.

"I was making fun of them. ‘Hey, quit holding hands. You're going to get married.’ And then they did,” Ball recalled. “They had two young kids; beautiful family."

About two and a half years ago, Parrish began to pursue what he considered a calling to protect and serve.

"The reason he was willing to risk his life every day for other people is because of his faith in Christ,” Ball said. “To me, that is an embodiment of his character.”

Holloway just saw Parrish last summer when his sister graduated from DBU. He had no idea that would be the last time he would see him.

"Knowing Zack was a believer gives my heart great comfort. I know he is with Jesus. I know he loved the Lord,” Holloway said. “And though we grieve and it's painful, we grieve with hope."

The president of DBU said Parrish was well respected and admired by his classmates and a true leader.