Man who ambushed Fargo police officers agreed to leave shooting range months before shooting

FARGO (KFGO) – Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner says the man who shot and killed a Fargo police officer, wounded two other officers, and a civilian last July after a minor traffic collision on 25th Street, was using an explosive-compound he obtained legally more than two months ahead of the ambush.

Jahner says a deputy was called to the Cass County Wildlife Shooting Range near Casselton on May 4.

“They were called out there because there was a report from people living in that area that thought someone might be shooting a cannon,” Jahner said. “One of our deputies responded and made contact with three individuals, one of them being Mohamad Barakat.”

Jahner says Barakat was cooperative and agreed not to return to the range as requested by a board member of the shooting range.

Barakat was using Tannerite, which was recovered from his car following the shooting along with several guns, ammunition, and gasoline.

The deputy’s encounter with Barakat was included in a series of newly-released federal search warrant documents first reported by KFGO News.