Two people have been fatally shot while responding to a brush fire in a mountain community near Coeur d’Alene, in the western US state of Idaho.
Officials say the victims were likely firefighters ambushed as they tackled the blaze on Canfield Mountain.
The assailants, possibly using high-powered rifles, remain hidden in dense brush and continue firing from multiple positions, law enforcement officials said.
Idaho governor, Brad Little, said “multiple heroic firefighters” were attacked while responding to the fire.
“This is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters,” he wrote on Facebook. “I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more.”
Authorities say it’s still unclear how many shooters were involved, but they are believed to be firing from multiple hidden positions in dense brush.
Firefighting efforts have, meanwhile, stalled due to the ongoing threat, and authorities have issued a shelter-in-place order for the residents.
Local, state, and federal agencies, including the FBI, are responding to the fire.
Multi-day operation if shooters are not neutralised quickly, sheriff warns
Kootenai County sheriff Robert Norris says that there is at least one active shooter firing at law enforcement with a high-powered rifle.
“If these individuals are not neutralised quickly, this is going to be a likely a multi-day operation,” he said.
He said that officers had reported bullets coming in from different directions.
“We are actively taking sniper fire as we speak,” said Sheriff Norris from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office in a press conference.
“We don’t know how many suspects are up there, and we don’t know how many casualties there are,” he said earlier.
He said that the shooter or shooters showed “no sign of wanting to surrender”.
Maroosha Muzaffar30 June 2025 04:19
Two firefighters fatally shot dead while responding to brushfire in Coeur d’Alene
Two firefighters were fatally shot while responding to a brush fire near Coeur d’Alene in western Idaho.
Officials say they were ambushed by one or more shooters hiding in dense brush and firing from multiple positions, possibly with high-powered rifles.
Firefighting efforts have been halted due to the threat, and a shelter-in-place order is in effect for the residents.
Governor Brad Little condemned the attack, calling it a “heinous assault” on “brave firefighters”.
Maroosha Muzaffar30 June 2025 04:05
