Multiple dead in shooting at Idaho fast-food restaurant as gunman dies at scene

Boise: A shooting at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in southern Idaho left multiple people dead and several others injured on Saturday afternoon, according to local authorities.

Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks confirmed during a news conference that the shooter was among the deceased, assuring the public that the immediate threat to the community had ended. Law enforcement officials are actively working to determine the gunman's identity and underlying motive. Hicks noted that the exact number of fatalities and casualties remained unconfirmed as emergency personnel worked through a chaotic scene and initiated next-of-kin notifications. Prior to the official press briefing, Twin Falls County Commissioner Brent Reinke stated that Sheriff Jack Johnson had reported at least five individuals injured in the incident.

Witnesses described a terrifying ordeal near the busy commercial hub. Lane Koehn, 34, reported seeing an individual armed with an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru lane before a bystander carrying a pistol engaged the gunman. Koehn and other bystanders rushed to assist an injured restaurant employee who had been dragged across the parking lot by a colleague after suffering a chest wound. Another witness, Haley Dodaro, 43, was waiting in the drive-thru line when employees and customers began fleeing the building in panic. Cellphone video captured from across the street showed a suspect clad in black approaching a vehicle with a long rifle, opening the trunk, and searching inside before nearby drivers fled the area.

The violent disruption occurred at an In-N-Out location that had opened just a week prior on July 24 as part of the chain's expansion into Idaho. Twin Falls, a community of approximately 56,000 residents situated 205 kilometers southeast of Boise, saw a massive multi-agency response following initial emergency calls around 4:00 p.m. Police cordoned off surrounding roads, urged the public to avoid the area, and began interviewing hundreds of shoppers who were present in the shopping district. Nearby medical facilities, including St. Luke’s Magic Valley, coordinated directly with first responders to treat incoming victims as state and local agencies continued their investigation.

(Inputs from AP)