Two firefighters have been killed and a third was wounded when a sniper opened fire on first responders at the site of a wildfire in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Authorities have described it as an “ambush” and believe the lone gunman intentionally set the fire to lure first responders.
Earlier on Sunday, officials said that firefighters responding to a brush fire on Canfield Mountain had come under sniper fire.
Later, a man’s body was found near a firearm on Canfield Mountain, and officials suspect he was the shooter, though his identity has not yet been confirmed.
“Based on the preliminary information, we believe that was the only shooter up on that mountain at that time,” Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris said. “There is no threat to the community at this time.”
Norris said it remains unclear whether the man found dead near the firearm died by suicide, and he declined to comment on any possible motive.
“This was a total ambush. These firefighters did not have a chance,” Norris said.
Key Points
- Fire was intentionally set to lure first responders
- Suspect's body with firearm found on Canfield Mountain
- Two firefighters fatally shot dead while responding to brushfire in Coeur d’Alene
Cellphone signal led police to the Idaho shooting suspect
08:15 , Maroosha MuzaffarAuthorities reportedly located the suspected Idaho shooter’s body using a cellphone signal that had remained active in the same area on Canfield Mountain since the attack began.
“We had a cell phone activation that was in the same spot since about 3.16pm, and that it was in the same area,” Sheriff Bob Norris said at the press conference.
“And we honed in on that cellphone, and we saw that there was a male, appeared to be deceased, with a weapon nearby.”
The suspect is believed to be the sole gunman who killed two firefighters.
“There are some helicopters that had some really good technology that were able to pinpoint where that cellphone activity was,” the sheriff said.
“So yeah, there was our federal partners assisting us in this situation.”
He added: “We had two helicopters that were up, and we had snipers in them. So, if they had an opportunity to take a shot, then we wanted them to take that shot.”
Idaho community reeling after firefighter ambush that killed two
07:45 , Maroosha MuzaffarCoeur d’Alene is reeling after a sniper-style ambush killed two firefighters and left a third wounded.
Residents gathered in a solemn procession to pay tribute and honour the two victims.
“This has never happened here,” said a longtime resident, Linda Tiger. “But it goes to show that that no-one is safe from this kind of mental sadness,” she told the BBC.
Local fire chief Pat Riley told KHQ TV that he was “heartbroken” by the attack.
Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said that it was a “total ambush” and that it was “unfortunate”.
Earlier, the governor, Brad Little wrote on X: “This is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters. I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more.”
Who was the Idaho shooter?
07:15 , Maroosha MuzaffarOfficials have not yet released the identity of the suspect found dead on Canfield Mountain, near a firearm, hours after the ambush that killed two firefighters.
Investigators believe he was the lone gunman, but have not confirmed how he died.
Sheriff Bob Norris said preliminary evidence, including the type of weapon recovered and the nature of the injuries, pointed to a single shooter.
The suspected attacker appeared to have set the brush fire on Canfield Mountain as a lure, deliberately setting it to draw in first responders before opening fire from a hidden position in the dense brush, officials said.
The motive of the suspect is not yet known.
Officials call Idaho shooting ‘very, very rare’ incident
06:50 , Maroosha MuzaffarKootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris called Sunday’s ambush in Coeur d’Alene a “very, very rare” incident for a rural setting.
“You can expect some of these things to occur in an urban setting”, he said, “but in a rural setting?”
Two local firefighters were killed in the attack, and a third one was injured but was in a “stable” condition after surgery.
Residents of Coeur d’Alene have gathered across North Idaho to pay their respects to the two victims.
Police also revealed that a man called 911 to report the fire on Canfield Mountain, but it’s still unclear whether that caller was the gunman.
Coeur d’Alene shooting: In pictures
06:25 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Fire was intentionally set to lure first responders
05:51 , Maroosha MuzaffarOfficials say the fire was intentionally set by the suspected shooter to lure first responders, and early findings indicate there was likely only one gunman involved.
It was a “total ambush”, and it was “unfortunate”, Sheriff Bob Norris said during the press conference.
Timeline of the Coeur d’Alene shooting
05:42 , Maroosha MuzaffarSunday, around 1.30pm local time: Fire crews respond to a reported brush fire on Canfield Mountain, just north of Coeur d’Alene in Idaho.
Around 2pm: Gunfire erupts. First responders come under sniper fire.
Afternoon: Sheriff Bob Norris confirms “active sniper fire” and orders deputies to return fire. Authorities unsure how many shooters or victims there are. Kootenai County Emergency Management issues a shelter-in-place order for the area.
Afternoon: Three victims, all firefighters, are brought to Kootenai Health hospital. Two are dead on arrival; one is injured and undergoing treatment.
Throughout the afternoon: Law enforcement, including the FBI, flooded the area. A command post is established. Tactical units are deployed. Governor Brad Little calls the attack a “heinous assault” and asks Idahoans to pray for the victims.
Evening: A SWAT team discovers a man’s body with a firearm nearby on Canfield Mountain. Authorities lift the shelter-in-place order, but warn that the wildfire is still active.
Later Sunday night: Investigation ongoing, shooter’s identity and motive not yet confirmed.
Authorities say the fire was deliberately set to ambush firefighters
05:12 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe fire that brought first responders to Canfield Mountain was deliberately set, according to officials from Idaho’s Northern Lakes Fire District, NBC reported.
Firefighters were met with gunfire shortly after arriving at the scene, and authorities say the word “ambush” accurately describes what happened to those first on site.
A federal official, speaking on condition of anonymity to the outlet, confirmed early indications that the attack was carried out in ambush style.
Body with firearm found on Canfield Mountain
04:46 , Maroosha MuzaffarA SWAT team has found the body of a man on Canfield Mountain, along with a firearm nearby, according to Kootenai County Emergency Management.
The “shelter in place” order was lifted, although authorities warn the wildfire in the area remains active.
Residents have been urged to stay alert and be prepared in case further action is needed.
Third firefighter critically injured in the shooting
04:39 , Maroosha MuzaffarAfter authorities confirmed two fatalities, reports are now emerging of another firefighter being injured in the Coeur d’Alene shooting.
According to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), a firefighter remains in surgery after two firefighters were killed.
The third firefighter was critically injured when a sniper opened fire on crews responding to the blaze on Canfield Mountain.
The injured firefighter is still undergoing surgery, the union said in a post on X.
While responding to a fire earlier today in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, IAFF members were ambushed in a heinous act of violence. Two of our brothers were killed by a sniper, and a third brother remains in surgery.
— International Association of Fire Fighters (@IAFFofficial) June 30, 2025
Please keep them, their families, and law enforcement in your prayers.
The IAFF, which represents emergency workers across the US and Canada, described the incident as a “heinous act of violence”.
Multi-day operation if shooters are not neutralised quickly, sheriff warns
04:19 , Maroosha MuzaffarKootenai 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”.
Two firefighters fatally shot dead while responding to brushfire in Coeur d’Alene
04:05 , Maroosha MuzaffarTwo 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”.
