FARGO, N.D. — Two weeks ago, a man armed with guns and explosives shot and killed a Fargo police officer and injured two other officers in what the police chief called an ambush.
Now we have learned someone was so concerned about Mohamad Barakat two years that ago they called the FBI.
The tipster said Barakat had a "significant number of firearms" and used threatening language. Fargo Police confirmed they interviewed him about the guns, but said that none were illegal and Barakat denied any "ill-intentions".
But those events, and the recent shooting, are still raising the alarm amongst the community.
"I come from a war-torn country, I came here for peace," said Fowzia Adde, head of the Immigrant Development Center. "I'm here to find the American dream."
Fargo is full of refugees and sits on the Red River, nearly four hours from the Twin Cities. Some say it's a progressive town in a conservative state - one not without its social issues.
"My dad knew what it could be and he saw that before anyone else believed in it," said Josie Danz about her family's bookstore. They opened it in downtown Fargo more than three decades ago when the area was still quite desolate.
"It was also sort of where the city dumped things they didn't want to deal with," said Danz. "And now it's this place that, every day I get to come here, and I get people through the doors who are like, this is amazing."
This bustling stretch is also home to a popular street fair that the police chief said Barakat was potentially planning to target. When he shot and killed Officer Jake Wallin, authorities say he had 1,800 rounds of ammunition, multiple guns and three tanks of explosives in his vehicle.
"The reality of this city could be totally different right now and like, thank goodness it's not," said Danz.
Police say Baraket focused instead on a car accident where police responded, opening fire on three of them. The exchange lasted two minutes. The grassy hill where it happened is now a makeshift memorial to remember the events that shocked the town.
But it also concerned others how some might react to the violence.
"Every city, every community, has those social issues, right," said Danz. "We can't pretend like they don't exist."
Fargo was growing fast and with that can come with some pains. The city knew it needed to address it, but it didn't necessarily know how. So it recently hired somebody who did.
"I'm the first-ever," said Dr. Terry Hogan about his role as the city's director of diversity, equity and inclusion. He's a longtime teacher and consultant from Chicago who came out of retirement to make sure every community in Fargo has a voice.
"There was no directions on what they wanted me to do, where they wanted me to go, anything of that nature; however, I did my own action plan," said Dr. Hogan.
From internal assessments to recruiting more people of color to every department, Hogan has now been working here for two years. He's still the only person of color in his department of 27 people.
"It's all about slow and methodical change," he said.
He denounced the shooting, and then, when days later, there was a newly placed poster in town with the name on it a known hate group.
"When someone is trying, in my view, to capitalize on something, I just have no words for it," said Dr. Hogan. "Hate is not wanted here."
He stood in solidarity with the Muslim community. Its leaders say, despite the suspect's common first name, no one knew him or whether he was affiliated with Islam, a religion leaders say is peaceful.
"He was not part of our community, he didn't mingle with us," said Adde. "He didn't come to the mosque."
Adde is one of some 7,000 Somali resettled refugees in Fargo. She became a citizen 20 years ago, working first as an interpreter and starting a family after fleeing war in Africa.
"I'm here to raise my children, I'm here to succeed," said Adde. "I'm not here to have any problem."
She still has some questions about Barakat and his motives, but knows there's at least one answer for people to find peace.
"We have to find a way to come together and grow together and heal together," said Adde about a town that can move forward, even as everything continues to change.
"Fargo knows how to come together and despite any political differences or whatever issues, this city shows up and they support each other," said Danz.
The police chief has said that Barakat likely acted alone and he didn't target any specific group of people.
The investigation is ongoing.
Watch more Breaking The News:
Watch all of the latest stories from Breaking The News in our YouTube playlist: