Dotas family gives update on officer's condition, road to recovery since January 14 shooting

(FARGO) — A Fargo Police officer and his wife are speaking publicly for the first time following the July 14 shooting in downtown Fargo.

Fargo Police Officer Andrew Dotas is a six-year FPD team member. Dotas serves as an FPD Training Officer, a member of the Crowd Management Team, Red River Valley SWAT Negotiations Team and a department Motorcycle Officer. Dotas is also a member of the North Dakota Air National Guard. Andrew is married to his wife, Hannah; together, they have a son AJ (Andrew, Junior).

Andrew says the last two months have shown he and Hannah one common thing.

“We may never know the plan,” he said. “But all this happened for a reason.”

Hannah says she has struggled throughout the course of the last month at times.

“There's been a lot of struggle and a lot of suffering and, and a lot of pain that we both experience in our own ways,” she said. “There have been a lot of nights where I just feel lost and I fall back on my faith at that point.”

Andrew is thankful for those who have cared for him, including the medical team at Sanford Health.

“Everyone, everyone that I've talked to has been very clear with me that it was like very close,” he said. :It was touch and go for several days when I first got to Sanford.”

He says his medical team told him it’s likely a year until he returns to normal. He describes that news as motivating.

“I want to get better,” Andrew said. “I can’t get better fast enough.”