A bloody incident rocked the US state of Idaho on Saturday afternoon, leaving at least three dead and two injured. According to Twin Falls city officials, the mass shooting began around 2:30 p.m. local time in the area of a newly opened In-N-Out Burger restaurant on Blue Lakes Boulevard.
Twin Falls City Council spokesman Josh Palmer confirmed to the media the grim statistics of three deaths and two hospitalized with serious injuries. Authorities are still trying to determine whether the shooter himself was among the dead.
A very chaotic scene and a city on lockdown
Local police chief Matthew Hicks described the situation as an “extremely chaotic scene“. Hundreds of people were in the shopping area at the time of the attack, as the restaurant had only opened its doors nine days earlier.
Witnesses described panic and captured videos that went viral on social media. They show a young man with an AR-15 rifle shooting at passing cars in the drive-thru and parking lot of the restaurant. Witnesses told Associated Press how a civilian with a gun returned fire to stop the attacker.
After a quick intervention by police, special forces and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the shooter was neutralized. Police assure that the threat to public safety has passed. Due to the investigation, major roads in the city and the nearby iconic “Perrin“ bridge were temporarily closed.
Official reactions and investigation
Idaho Governor Brad Little made an official address on social media, urging citizens to pray for the community in Twin Falls and to provide full cooperation to law enforcement. In-N-Out Burger management said they were deeply saddened by the tragedy and were cooperating fully with investigators.
The local hospital St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center took in the injured and declared an emergency, urging residents to avoid the area except for emergencies. The investigation into the shooter's motives and exact identity continues under the supervision of state and federal authorities.