Fargo police officer’s use of deadly force was justified when a gunman shot his colleagues according to North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley.
Mohamad Barakat, 37, opened fire on officers responding to a traffic wreck Friday before being fatally shot by Officer Zach Robinson. Officer Jake Wallin was killed, and Officers Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes were hospitalized with critical injuries.
In an afternoon press conference aired on KNOX Wrigley described Barakat’s attack as “completely unprovoked.” He went on to describe it as a “murderous barrage of fire” that was precise.
Police were responding to a routine traffic accident on a busy street when Barakat began firing multiple rounds at them, Wrigley said. He said the shooter initially opened fire with a long rifle and then armed himself with a 9 mm handgun.
“He’s casing the place up and stalking his way in and sizing up his opportunity and then parks there and spends minutes watching the officers and waits until they are literally walking, Wrigley said. “That’s when he lifts his firearm out the window and begins firing. It was an absolute ambush. There’s no other way to describe that”
Robinson ordered Barakat 16 times to put the gun down before firing on him, Wrigley said. Wrigley said Robinson’s use of deadly force “was reasonable. It was justified and lawful in every possible way.”
After the attack, officers found 1,800 live rounds, three long rifles, four handguns, explosives, canisters with gasoline and a homemade hand grenade in Barakat’s car.
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.
The funeral service for Wallin, 23, is set for Saturday morning (10:30 a.m.) in Pequot Lakes, Minnesota.
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.
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