A man with thousands of bullets and a grenade attacked police and killed an officer. What was his plan?

In a horrifying incident in Fargo, Mohamad Barakat, armed to the teeth with 1,800 bullets, multiple firearms, and a grenade, launched a devastating attack on police officers who were busy attending to a routine collision. The aftermath of the assault, carried out on July 14, saw a police officer dead and two others, along with a woman involved in the crash, injured, sparking questions about what other chaos Barakat might have intended.

Officer Zach Robinson, the only officer not injured during the violent episode, managed to fatally shoot Barakat amidst bystanders seeking cover. A detailed briefing about the incident is expected to be held on Friday.

Barakat, a 37-year-old without a criminal record and who had briefly trained as an emergency responder, unexpectedly turned violent. He observed the scene of the collision, waited for the right moment, and initiated a deadly attack. He waited until the officers moved some distance away from him before he started firing his .223-caliber rifle, a situation North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley described as “an absolute ambush” and “a murderous barrage of fire.”

Barakat’s swift and brutal onslaught gave the officers no time to react. Living just a few kilometers away, he used a double-stacked magazine to unleash a hail of bullets that killed Officer Jake Wallin, 23, a veteran of the Minnesota Army National Guard, and left Officers Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes critically injured. Karlee Koswick, a civilian involved in the collision, was also struck by two bullets as she attempted to flee.

Officer Robinson, who was situated some distance from Barakat, bravely confronted the assailant. He fired at Barakat, disabling his rifle, and continued to approach despite Barakat waving a handgun from behind his car. After repeatedly urging Barakat to surrender, Robinson was forced to use deadly force, actions Wrigley deemed “justified.”

The firefight, though lasting only around two minutes, was more prolonged than most, according to Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski. Robinson discharged about 30 rounds and had to pause to reload during the conflict.

Investigators found a suitcase full of weaponry in Barakat’s vehicle, including a homemade grenade, a vest with loaded magazines, multiple firearms, and canisters of gasoline. Additional weapons were discovered at his apartment. Authorities believe that Barakat intended to cause far more devastation. Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney suggested that the violence could potentially have signaled the start of a mass shooting.

As the investigation continues, those wounded are recovering, their conditions ranging from good to stable. Officer Wallin’s funeral service is scheduled for Saturday, where his cremated remains will be honored in his police uniform.

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More about Fargo Police Attack

• Fargo Police Department
• News report on Fargo attack
• North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley
• Minnesota Army National Guard
• Emergency responder training