A gunman opened fire at an In-N-Out restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho on Saturday, killing three people and injuring seven others, with some of the wounded in critical condition.
The restaurant, which had only opened on July 24 as part of the chain’s expansion into Idaho, sits in a busy shopping plaza surrounded by major retailers and a movie theater complex. The attack unfolded around 2:29 p.m. local time, drawing an immediate response from multiple law enforcement agencies including the Twin Falls Police Department, the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, and the Idaho State Police.
Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks addressed the public at a news conference shortly after. “Today has been a very hard day here in Twin Falls, a tragic day,” he said. “It was a very chaotic scene.” Hicks confirmed fatalities but did not provide a specific count at the conference. He also stated that the shooter, who is deceased, is believed to have acted alone.
As originally reported, Twin Falls city public information officer Josh Palmer later confirmed three deaths and seven injuries. Police located the suspected gunman’s body in an area near the restaurant, though it remains unclear whether he is included in the three fatalities. Authorities have not yet released names or identifying details of any victims while next-of-kin notifications are still underway.
Hicks noted the scale of the scene. “We have literally hundreds of people that were in some way, shape, or form in the area of this restaurant at the time that are being interviewed right now,” he said.
Eyewitness Lane Koehn, 34, described what he saw from a nearby traffic light. He observed a person carrying an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru area. He also witnessed what appeared to be a bystander engaging the shooter with a handgun. Koehn then saw an In-N-Out employee in uniform dragging a fellow uniformed worker, who had been shot in the chest, across the parking lot. Koehn, the employee, and the armed bystander stayed with the injured person until paramedics arrived.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are both assisting local authorities with the ongoing investigation. Officials are continuing to interview witnesses and are asking anyone with relevant information to come forward and contact law enforcement.