What to know about firefighters ambushed by sniper in Idaho
A tragic incident occurred in northern Idaho where two firefighters were killed and another critically injured in a shooting while responding to a fire believed to have been intentionally set by the shooter. The sniper ambushed the firefighters in a mountainous area near Coeur d’Alene, using the fire as a lure. The gunman was later found dead nearby with a firearm, and it remains unclear whether he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound or from law enforcement’s response. About 300 law enforcement officers were involved in the response,tracking the suspect’s cellphone signal to locate him. The victims were from the Coeur D’Alene Fire department and Kootenai County Fire and Rescue. Community members honored the fallen firefighters with a procession as local authorities continue to investigate the incident and the ongoing fire. The sheriff emphasized that the attack was a deliberate ambush.
Firefighters ambushed by sniper in Idaho: What we know about deadly shooting
Two firefighters were killed and one critically wounded in a northern Idaho shooting Sunday afternoon as they responded to a fire that authorities believe was intentionally started by the now-deceased gunman.
The sniper, equipped with a rifle, allegedly lured the firefighters to the scene with the fire and ambushed them in a mountainous area of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, police said. Investigators have not revealed the identity of the shooter or his motive.
After being considered at large for hours, the suspect was found dead nearby with the firearm. Authorities believed he acted alone.
The incident began around 2 p.m. Sunday, with the firefighters reporting gunfire after calls of a brush fire began around 1:20 p.m., Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris said in a statement.
The sheriff did not reveal the identities of the victims, but he said the two killed were employed by the Coeur D’Alene Fire Department and Kootenai County Fire and Rescue. The third is in stable condition after undergoing surgery, Norris said.
About 300 members of law enforcement responded to the scene.
Officers used the gunman’s cellphone signal to determine his location.
“We had a cell phone activation that was in the same spot since about 3:16 [p.m.], and that it was in the same area,” Norris said at a press conference hours after the fatal shooting. “And we honed in on that cellphone, and we saw that there was a male, appeared to be deceased, with a weapon nearby.”
It remains unclear whether the suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound or was killed by law enforcement. An autopsy of the body is expected to be held in Spokane, Washington.
“We do believe that the suspect started the fire. We do believe that it was an ambush and it was intentional,” Norris added. “We do believe he started it, and it was totally intentional, what he did.”
Law enforcement lifted a shelter-in-place order after the threat was neutralized.
The raging wildfire prevented police from conducting a full search and investigation of the area.
On Sunday evening, the Idaho Department of Lands said the fire remained ongoing and consumed between 15 and 20 acres of land on Canfield Mountain. First responders were expected to continue their response to the fire into Monday, the agency added.
Coeur D’Alene residents honored the two slain firefighters by participating in a mileslong procession that saw their bodies transported from the Kootenai County hospital to Spokane. The event drew a large turnout from the local community, with hundreds of residents gathering on overpasses above the travel route.
TWO DEAD AFTER SHOOTING TARGETING FIREFIGHTERS IN IDAHO
“This is a senseless act of violence that strikes at the very heart of who we are and the work we do every day to protect the community we love,” Justin Zabel, who leads the union representing Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, said on social media.
Norris held two press conferences on Sunday. More updates are expected to follow.
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