The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation released the body cam video on Thursday, displaying the shocking killing of local law enforcement officers in an ambush shooting.
This tragic event occurred on July 14, when 37-year-old Mohamad Barakat fired shots that killed Fargo Police Officer Jake Wallin and injured officers Tyler Hawes and Andrew Dotas. The officers were on duty, responding to a car accident, when Barakat reportedly shot a bystander and attempted to escape the location. Officer Zach Robinson, however, confronted and eventually killed Barakat.
The terrifying footage from Robinson’s bodycam captures him guiding vehicles away from the crash site before the sudden outbreak of gunfire from Barakat.
“Shots fired. Shots fired. We got a man with an AK-47 shooting at us,” Robinson is heard calling out as he finds shelter behind a car and retaliates.
In a later part of the footage, he is heard exclaiming, “Shots fired. Shots fired. We got three officers down,” while the camera reveals Wallin, Dotas, and Hawes injured on the grass.
Robinson continues approaching Barakat, who is shown lying wounded by his vehicle. He repeatedly instructs Barakat to release his weapon before shooting him dead.
A subsequent investigation led to the discovering of an alarming cache of weapons in Barakat’s vehicle, including over 1,800 rounds of ammunition and various explosive materials, as per The Associated Press (AP).
Barakat’s internet search history revealed that he had been looking up details related to “mass shooting events” and various forms of ammunition. The media noted this information.
In 2021, the FBI was informed about concerns regarding Barakat’s mental health and his possession of an extensive collection of firearms. Although Barakat refuted any malicious intent, law enforcement agencies found no concrete evidence of illegal activities or immediate threats. Consequently, no further measures were taken against him.
Originally from Syria, Barakat arrived in the U.S. in 2012, seeking asylum, and became a citizen in 2019.
A recent report shows a noticeable uptick in violence against police officers last year, with 331 officers shot and 62 fatally wounded while on duty.
These numbers represent a significant increase compared to the previous year, 2020 when 312 officers were shot and 47 lost their lives. The escalation becomes even more evident when considering the statistics from four years earlier, where 237 officers were shot, resulting in 53 fatalities.
