Two Idaho firefighters shot dead: What happened, latest on victims, suspect

Two firefighters were killed by gunfire portion responding to a brushwood occurrence successful Coeur d’Alene, a lakeside municipality successful the northwestern US authorities of Idaho.

The section sheriff’s bureau reported that a shelter-in-place bid was lifted connected Sunday nighttime aft a tactical squad recovered the assemblage of a antheral with a firearm nearby. The dormant antheral is believed to beryllium the suspect.

Officials did not disclose his individuality oregon specify the benignant of limb recovered.

What happened successful Idaho, and when?

Officials said crews responded to a occurrence astatine Canfield Mountain successful the metropolis astatine astir 1:22pm (20:22 GMT), and gunshots were reported astir a fractional hr aboriginal astatine 2pm (21:00 GMT).

Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris said the shooter utilized high-powered sporting rifles to unfastened accelerated occurrence connected archetypal responders.

Two firefighters were killed and, according to authorities, a 3rd 1 came retired of country and is successful a unchangeable information but “fighting for his life”.

Norris told reporters connected Sunday that authorities judge the fishy intentionally started the occurrence arsenic “an ambush”.

“We bash judge helium started it and it was wholly intentional what helium did,” helium added.

However, officials person not spelled retired immoderate imaginable motives for wherefore the fishy mightiness person wanted to ambush the firefighters.

According to reports, much than 300 instrumentality enforcement officers and FBI agents responded to the emergency, portion constabulary snipers searched the country from helicopters.

Video footage from the country showed fume rising from forested hillsides, with aggregate ambulances and exigency vehicles seen arriving astatine a section hospital.

Multiple heroic firefighters were attacked contiguous portion responding to a occurrence successful North Idaho. This is simply a heinous nonstop battle connected our brave firefighters. I inquire each Idahoans to commune for them and their families arsenic we hold to larn more. Teresa and I are heartbroken.

As this…

— Brad Little (@GovernorLittle) June 29, 2025

Where precisely did it happen?

The Canfield Mountain country is connected the eastbound outskirts of Coeur d’Alene. It is simply a fashionable 24‑acre (10-hectare) earthy abstraction featuring hiking and mountain‑biking trails.

Coeur d’Alene, a metropolis of astir 55,000 people, is located astir 260 miles (420 km) eastbound of Seattle.

The upland is densely covered with trees and heavy brush, and its web of trails extends into a nationalist forest.

Who was the shooter?

Based connected preliminary evidence, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office believes determination was lone 1 shooter progressive successful the attack. Initially, authorities had suspected determination mightiness beryllium arsenic galore arsenic four.

Authorities located the fishy aft detecting mobile telephone enactment successful the country and tracing the signal.

There, they discovered a antheral who appeared to beryllium deceased with a limb recovered nearby. They did not accidental however the antheral died, oregon what firearm was discovered. Norris said that authorities judge the dormant antheral was the shooter. However, the constabulary person not yet revealed his identity.

Police said a antheral called 911 to study the occurrence but said that it was unclear if the caller was the gunman.

Update: pic.twitter.com/S60CnpFsyX

— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) June 30, 2025

What bash we cognize astir the victims?

Kootenai County officials said they would not merchandise the names of the 2 firefighters who died.

“Their families volition request support,” Sheriff Norris said.

“This is simply a heinous nonstop battle connected our brave firefighters,” Idaho Governor Brad Little wrote connected Facebook.

Officials said the bodies would beryllium transported successful a procession to adjacent Spokane, Washington, accompanied by a convoy of authoritative vehicles. One of the firefighters was moving with the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department; the different served with Kootenai County Fire and Rescue.

An armoured constabulary conveyance leaves an country wherever aggregate firefighters were attacked erstwhile responding to a occurrence successful the Canfield Mountain country [Young Kwak/Reuters]

Is the country present safe? Was the occurrence controlled?

The shelter-in-place announcement was lifted astatine 03:50 GMT connected Monday.

The wildfire connected Canfield Mountain scorched astir 20 acres (81 hectares), Norris said connected Sunday, but nary structures were mislaid successful the fire, authorities confirmed.

At 03:00  GMT, authorities confirmed that the occurrence was inactive burning.