Officer Wallin’s Hometown Remembers Him

ST. MICHAEL, Minn. (KMSP) — St. Michael, Minnesota is rallying around Fallen officer Jake Wallin’s family.

Many are turning their porch lights blue in honor of the officer, just a small gesture people there are making to honor the fallen hero.

Flags lowered to half staff at St. Michael Albertville High School just beyond the field where slain Fargo Police Officer Jake Wallin played football.

The St. Michael native being remembered as a hometown hero.

“He’s one of those guys that you’d be proud to say, he’s from St. Michael,” said Mayor Keith Wettschreck.

Just before graduating high school in 2018 Wallin joined the Minnesota National Guard deploying to both Afghanistan and Iraq.

He joined the Fargo Police Department this past April and was still in field training at the time of his death.In a video released by the department Saturday, Wallin says he became a police officer because he wanted to make a difference.

“My entire life, I’ve wanted to work a job.  I’ve tried other careers but I came right back to law enforcement.”

“It’s certainly an exciting thing to see a young man with that kind of enthusiasm and drive,” Wettschreck said.”The one fortunate thing is that he could live that passion of his, even if for a short period of time.”

Wettschreck says they’ll be brainstorming ways to honor Wallin in the days and weeks to come.

As investigators in Fargo continue to piece together the details, saying the officers were responding to a routine traffic crash Friday afternoon when the gunman opened fire.

The shooter, not a part of the crash scene.

“Its just very much a shame that his life got cut short in such a senseless way.”