U.S. Briefs: Fargo police prevent mass shooting attack

North Dakota

Officers in Fargo stopped a mass shooting attempt July 14. Mohamad Barakat, 37, a former Syrian refugee and Fargo resident, reportedly began firing on police officers at the scene of a car crash from an adjacent parking lot using a .223-caliber rifle. Barakat killed one officer and critically injured two others and a bystander. A fourth officer at the scene, Zach Robinson, exchanged fire with Barakat for two minutes before fatally wounding him. Investigators found Barakat’s car full of guns, more than 1,800 rounds of ammunition, a homemade grenade, and large containers of gasoline and explosive materials. The suspect spent years amassing the arsenal and searching for mass shooting events on Google. He had recently searched for “area events where there are crowds,” leading investigators to believe he planned to target two local fairs that drew thousands to Fargo on the day of the shooting. Investigators have not yet found evidence that Barakat planned to target any specific group. —Elizabeth Russell

Oregon

Years after officials promised to end the practice, hundreds of Oregon foster children are still living in hotels. Officials say they are struggling to find enough homes to take them. In July, a federal judge appointed a consultant to oversee the state’s Department of Human Services. The agency agreed to stop holding children in hotels during a 2018 legal settlement and pledged to increase capacity in foster homes and ­residential treatment centers. Since then, Oregon has spent $25 million housing 462 kids in hotels, while the total number of licensed foster homes fell from 4,262 to 3,244 in 2022. Seventy-five kids between 6 and 19 years old stayed in hotels during the first six months of this year. Twenty spent more than 60 days in a hotel. —Addie Offereins

Wyoming

A pro-life activist admitted in federal court on July 20 that she started a fire that damaged the state’s only abortion center. Lorna Green, a 22-­year-old college student, said she had anxiety and nightmares after learning Wellspring Health Access in Casper would perform abortions. The center, which also offers transgender treatments, was under construction when the fire started in May 2022, delaying its opening by 10 months. Video footage showed a person matching Green’s description carrying a gasoline container inside the building. But police didn’t charge her until March, when the reward for info rose to $15,000 and they got several tips. Green faces five to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is set for Oct. 6. —Todd Vician

Colorado

Eyioma Uwazurike, a defensive end for the Denver Broncos, was suspended indefinitely on July 24 for gambling on NFL games. The National Football League prohibits players and personnel from betting on NFL games or engaging in any form of gambling at NFL facilities, and Uwazurike is one of a growing list of players to run afoul of the league’s policies. “Our organization fully cooperated with this investigation and takes matters pertaining to the integrity of the game very seriously,” the Broncos said in a statement. “The Denver Broncos will continue to provide all members of our organization with the necessary education, resources and support to ensure compliance with the NFL’s gambling policy.” In June, Isaiah Rodgers and Rashod Berry of the Indianapolis Colts, as well as free agent Demetrius Taylor, were suspended for betting on NFL games. Suspensions are becoming more common as more states legalize sports betting and gambling can be done easily on mobile devices. Uwazurike may petition for reinstatement after one year. —Emma Freire

Idaho

The city of Moscow agreed on July 14 to pay three people a total of $300,000 to settle a civil lawsuit stemming from a pandemic protest. Gabriel Rench and Sean and Rachel Bohnet sued the city for violating their First Amendment rights in September 2020. The three were participating in a “psalm sing” at Moscow City Hall organized by Christ Church to protest local mask and social distancing mandates. Police arrested the Bohnets for resisting an officer and Rench for allegedly refusing to identify himself. Police cited them and two others on suspicion of violating the city’s public health emergency order. The city dismissed the citations in January 2021 because the public health order did not apply to speech, assembly, or religious activity. A U.S. district judge in February denied the city’s request for a judgment in the case and ordered officials to reach a settlement out of court. —Lauren Canterberry

Mississippi

An underage Guatemalan immigrant lost his life July 14 in a Hattiesburg poultry plant accident, fueling the debate over child labor. According to federal law, work at slaughtering and meatpacking plants is too hazardous for minors, but Duvan Pérez, 16, was part of the sanitation crew at Mar-Jac Poultry. In a press release, Mar-Jac suggested Pérez’s age and identity may have been misrepresented on paperwork. Mar-Jac ships worldwide and has plants in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, where its employees process more than 2 million birds a week. Pérez died during an evening shift after he became entangled in machinery. The N.R. Burger Middle School student’s obituary noted Pérez had bought his own car and enjoyed the gym and being outdoors. The tragedy comes just months after labor officials fined Packers Sanitation Services Inc. more than $1.5 million for illegally employing more than 100 ­children in major meat and poultry plants across eight states. —Kim Henderson