A person armed with a rifle deliberately began a wildfire after which started taking pictures at first responders in a northern Idaho mountain group, killing two firefighters and wounding a 3rd throughout a barrage of gunfire over a number of hours, authorities mentioned.
A shelter-in-place order was lifted Sunday night time after a tactical response group used cell phone information to “hone in” on a wooded space the place they discovered the suspect’s physique with a firearm close by as flames quickly approached, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris mentioned.
“We do consider that the suspect began the fireplace, and we do consider that it was an ambush and it was intentional,” Norris mentioned at a late night time information convention. “These firefighters didn’t have an opportunity.”
Sheriff’s officers mentioned crews responded to a hearth at Canfield Mountain simply north of Coeur d’Alene about 1.30pm, and gunshots had been reported about half an hour later.
Investigators mentioned the gunman acted alone.
“We consider that was the one shooter that was on that mountain at the moment,” Norris mentioned.
The sheriff mentioned the shooter used high-powered sporting rifles to fireplace quickly at first responders, with regulation enforcement initially uncertain of the variety of perpetrators concerned.
The Division of Homeland Safety secretary, Kristi Noem, has been briefed on the Idaho taking pictures, ABC Information reported.
The state’s governor, Brad Little, mentioned “a number of heroic firefighters” had been attacked whereas responding to the fireplace. “This can be a heinous direct assault on our courageous firefighters,” he wrote on Facebook. “I ask all Idahoans to wish for them and their households as we wait to be taught extra.”
Three victims had been delivered to Kootenai Well being, mentioned hospital spokesperson Kim Anderson. Two had been lifeless on arrival and the third was being handled for accidents, Anderson mentioned. The wounded firefighter was “preventing for his life” after surgical procedure and was in secure situation, Norris mentioned.
The scene was described as sheer pandemonium as the comb fireplace burned and firefighters rushed to the scene solely to return below heavy fireplace. First responders made pressing requires assistance on their radios: “Everyone’s shot up right here … ship regulation enforcement now,” one dispatch mentioned.
Afterward Sunday the our bodies of the lifeless firefighters arrived within the close by metropolis of Spokane, Washington, escorted by a procession of fireside and regulation enforcement autos. Firefighters and others saluted because the autos handed by.
Although the shelter-in-place order was lifted, the sheriff’s workplace cautioned residents to be ready as a result of the fireplace was nonetheless burning.
Coeur d’Alene is a metropolis of 55,000 residents close to the border with Washington. Canfield Mountain is a well-liked climbing and biking space on the outskirts of the northern Idaho metropolis, coated with bushes and heavy brush and crisscrossed with trails.
