Fargo shooting, North Dakota, Dated 14/07/2023
Fargo Shooting – As it happened
A tragic incident unfolded on Friday afternoon in Fargo, North Dakota, as a suspect confirmed as Mohammad Barakat opened fire on a busy street, resulting in the death of one police officer and critical injuries to two others. Law enforcement groups across Minnesota are extending their condolences and support in the aftermath of this shooting.
In an incident that took place around 3 p.m. on Friday, a suspect allegedly opened fire on officers in Fargo, resulting in their own death. Fargo police have confirmed that a civilian was injured during the incident.
The investigation into the shooting is currently ongoing, and the police have refrained from releasing the names of those involved as they are in the process of notifying their family members.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing the suspect shooting at the officers, prompting the authorities to converge on a residential area located approximately 2 miles away. As a precautionary measure, residents in the vicinity were evacuated while law enforcement collected evidence pertaining to the shooting.
Multiple witnesses have attested that a man initiated gunfire towards the police officers, with other officers subsequently engaging and shooting the suspect.
Daniel, a witness to the incident, stated, “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.”
Alex, who was working alone at a nearby nail salon, initially mistook the sound of the gunfire for fireworks or a motorcycle backfiring, without considering the possibility of gunshots.
Schildberger expressed the challenging nature of the situation, stating, “This is very difficult on all of us. We appreciate all the messages from the community that have been given to us in support of our officers.”
As per the latest resources, it has been confirmed that the man responsible for shooting and killing of officers had bloodier motives and it could have been more bloodier, if situation had gotten out of control. The man responsible for shooting had planned very well online. The shooter had gone through various sites and videos to prepare for mass killings. He had armed himself with guns and explosives.
Mohammad Barakat, a syrian who had moved in U.S in 2012 and became citizen of U.S. in 2019. He has worked on and off for various jobs. Police has confirmed that this was not a hate crime against any religious group, even he had waited for more officers to gather at crime scene before opening fire. Police has spoken to the family members of Barakat and has realised that they are not really close.