Syrian refugee who attacked Fargo police was likely planning bigger bloodier episode, police say

The Syrian refugee-turned-U.S.-citizen who opened fire on police in Fargo, N.D., last week was likely planning a much bloodier attack, authorities suggested on Friday

In a July 14 shootout with police, Mohamad Barakat killed one police officer, wounded two more, and injured a civilian before a third police officer managed to fatally shoot him, the Associated Press reported. Barakat first encountered the officers after passing a minor crash. He subsequently parked his car and attacked them.

The incident occurred on the second day of the Downtown Fargo Street Fair, though it remains unclear if Barakat had intended to violently disrupt the event. 

State Attorney General Drew Wrigley revealed in a news conference that Barakat had searched for numerous sensitive terms online over the past several years, including "mass shooting events," "incendiary rounds," "explosive ammo," "kill fast." and "area events where there are crowds."

Authorities discovered a considerable arsenal in Barakat's vehicle following the incident.

He attained citizenship in 2019 after arriving the U.S. in 2012 from Syria on an asylum request, the outlet noted. Barakat's motive remains unclear as of press time, though Wrigley stated he had an "[s]bvious motive to kill."

Wrigley added, however, that said desire was "[n]ot particularized to some group that we can discern at this moment, not particularized to one individual that we can see."

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.