Fargo police officer justified in using deadly force against gunman, state attorney general says
By The Associated Press on July 19, 2023.
FARGO, N.D. (AP) – A Fargo police officer was justified in using deadly force against the gunman who opened fire on other officers, killing one and injuring two, North Dakota’s attorney general said Wednesday. Attorney General Drew Wrigley said at a news conference that Officer Zach Robinson’s use of deadly force against Mohamad Barakat last week “was reasonable, it was necessary, it was justified.” Barakat, 37, fired on officers while they were responding to a traffic wreck Friday in south Fargo, authorities said. Officer Jake Wallin was killed, and Officers Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes were hospitalized with critical injuries. A 25-year-old Fargo woman was also shot, but authorities have not said who shot her. Fargo police Chief David Zibolski has said a motive for the shooting is unknown. The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation and FBI are investigating the attack. Robinson was placed on paid administrative leave while state authorities completed an investigation into his use of force, per Fargo police procedure. Police and fire officials were responding to a routine traffic accident on a busy street that afternoon when the gunman began firing multiple rounds at them, according to Zibolski. Firefighters on the scene and a nearby ambulance were essential in preventing additional fatalities, he said. As soon as the firing stopped, “firefighters bounced out and they were applying first aid immediately to our officers,” Zibolski said, which “probably had a very significant impact on their survival.” Shortly after the shooting, authorities, including the FBI, converged on a residential area about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) away and evacuated residents of an apartment building to gather what they said was related evidence. The city has said little about Barakat or the gun he used. Zibolski said he believed police previously had some sort of contact with Barakat “but not anything significant.” Zibolski said it does not appear that Barakat was involved in the car crash that brought officers to the scene. But he indicated investigators are determining whether this was a planned ambush of officers. The funeral service for Wallin, 23, is set for Saturday morning in Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, according to an obituary. A private service will follow graveside at a cemetery in Nisswa, Minnesota. Dotus was a six-year veteran responsible for training officers. Wallin served in the Minnesota Army National Guard and was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq from November 2020 to July 2021. He and Hawes were sworn in less than three months ago and were still in training when they responded to the scene Friday. Governors of Minnesota and North Dakota have directed U.S. and state flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Wallin through sunset on Saturday, and encouraged residents and businesses to do the same. 13-12
