Officer Jake Wallin, 23, was shot dead and officers Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes were critically injured in a shooting in Fargo, North Dakota. Photo courtesy of Fargo Police Department/Twitter
July 15 (UPI) — One police officer is dead and two others are in critical condition Saturday after a late-night shoot-out on the streets of Fargo, N.D.
“For no known reason at all, a violent gunman attacked our officers, firing multiple rounds and striking three of them,” Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski said during a news conference Saturday. He called it “one of the most horrific days in the department’s history.”
Zibolski said Officer Jake Wallin, 23, was shot dead and officers Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes were critically injured during the incident. He said he met with both injured officers who are “in good spirits” but will have a “significant recovery time.”
Wallin was sworn in on the police force in April and is a veteran of the Minnesota National Guard who has made multiple deployments including to Afghanistan.
“He was a member of our family and he has been taken from us far too soon,” Zibolski said. “It’s a tragedy.”
Zibolski said the suspect, 37-year-old Fargo resident Mohamad Barakat was shot dead by a fourth officer identified as Zach Robinson, who has been placed on administrative leave as is standard practice in police-involved shootings.
A 25-year-old woman, who was not identified, was also injured during the incident but it was not immediately clear from what gun the bullet was fired. A firetruck was also damaged by gunfire.
Witnesses reported hearing a vehicle crash around 2:45 p.m. on Friday, followed by a quick police response of around a dozen officers and other first responders.
“The first several minutes were very chaotic. Our officers performed admirably and I’m very proud of them for their actions, quick thinking and calmness under fire,” Zibolski said. “They did a tremendous job.”
Other details aremain unclear, including accounts of what led up to the shooting.
Police evacuated a section of the downtown neighborhood but did not tell people there what the developing situation entailed.
“I saw the traffic stop and as soon as I drove, shots were fired and I saw the cops go down. My airbag went off and the bullet went through my driver’s door,” witness Shannon Nichole told KFGO-AM radio.
State and federal law enforcement agencies are now assisting in the investigation.