Body cam released of deadly ambush

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — Dramatic video of a shooting ambush last month in Fargo that left one police officer dead and injured two others and a bystander has been released.

Some viewers may find the video disturbing.

Here is footage from Fargo police officer Zach Robinson’s body cam of last month’s shooting ambush in south Fargo.

Robinson repeatedly gave orders to 37-year-old Mohamad Barakat before he shot and killed him.

North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley says the video is slightly edited, highlighting the surprise nature of the attack on police responding to a routine traffic crash.

“It’s a minute and 46 seconds. 1 minute, 46 seconds between the first barrage from Barakat’s .223 to the neutralization of Barakat by officer Robinson. Anybody who you’ve ever talked to, who’s been in a fire fight of this kind will tell you a minute and 46 seconds is a lifetime,” says Wrigley.

After the shooting, investigators found numerous guns, 1,800 rounds of ammunition, a homemade grenade and explosives in Barakat’s vehicle.

“Attempted murders of Officer Hawes, Dotas and Karlee Koswick was altered with a binary trigger which is a lawful piece of equipment. It’s a value-less piece of equipment but it was lawful and then used for the only purpose that my limited imagination can imagine to create the functional equivalent of a automatic firearm,” Wrigley said.

Wrigley says more footage will be released at a later date, which could show how Barakat entered the scene.

According to Deputy Chief Joe Anderson, FPD’s internal investigation did not find any use-of-force policy violations in any of Robinson’s actions on July 14.

Zibolski said Robinson has returned to duty after a psychological evaluation.

Robinson worked inside at police headquarters, then partnered up with another officer for a short time before returning to solo patrol duty.