Injured Fargo Officer Tyler Hawes is a native of Eagan, Minnesota

EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) — Officer Tyler Hawes is one of the two Fargo officers in the hospital.

Hawes is from Eagan, Minnesota, near the Twin Cities.

“Putting himself before everyone else is just really who Ty’s always been,” Steve Butler spent two years coaching Ty Hawes in Eagan varsity baseball.

Hawes was the starting catcher his senior year in 2019.

Butler shared these pictures on the team’s Twitter account on Sunday.

On Saturday, when he learned his former player was one of two Fargo officers critically injured, he sent him a text message of support.

“I just spoke from the heart and told him I loved him and, I woke up Sunday morning with a text from him and it just said, Coach, appreciate the support.. and I had goosebumps… I have goosebumps right now thinking about seeing his name pop on my phone on Sunday morning.”

Hawes, who got married last fall, joined the Fargo Police Department this spring.

The same time as 23-year-old Officer Jake Wallin, who was killed Friday, when a gunman identified as 37-year-old Mohamed Barakat opened fire as the officers responded to a traffic accident.

Barakat was shot and killed by another officer.

His motive still under investigation.

Wallin graduated from St. Michael – Albertville High School in 2018. The superintendent releasing a statement Monday, “He made a significant impact on our school community and beyond, and his loss will be deeply felt by all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

Meantime, a GoFundMe is quickly growing for Officer Andrew Dotas, a six-year veteran of Fargo Police, who was also critically injured and Fargo Police directed donations to the “Leadership Care Fund,” an independent site which will support families of all three officers.

As for Hawes, Coach Butler has faith in his former player.

He’s such a strong-willed young man, that in my heart I just believe he’s going to recover from this.