The suspected gunman who fatally ambushed firefighters in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on Sunday has been discovered dead, according to the county sheriff.
Responding SWAT team members discovered a deceased male on Canfield Mountain with a firearm nearby, according to an update from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday evening.
This comes after an hours-long manhunt involving multiple agencies in the area.
The ambush on Sunday killed two people and injured another, with gunfire erupting as firefighters responded to a brush fire on the mountain.
During a press briefing, Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris stated that the two fatalities were firefighters, one from the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department and the other from the Kootenai County Fire Department.
“This was a total ambush,” Norris explained. “These firefighters did not have a chance.”
The injured person, who received a gunshot wound in the attack, was taken to Kootenai Health Hospital, according to ABC News.
Police said the incident occurred on Sunday afternoon. Norris stated that the first report of the small brush fire was received at 1:21 p.m. Around 2 p.m., firefighters said they were being shot at.
According to Norris, approximately 300 law enforcement officers gathered at the scene, with some exchanging gunfire with the suspect. The White House and FBI Director Kash Patel both offered assistance to responding authorities, according to the sheriff.
At 6:30 p.m., those on the scene were informed that the suspect needed to be neutralised as soon as possible. The suspect’s death was reported at 7:40 p.m., according to Norris. The body was recovered by law enforcement before the fire spread to the area, according to the sheriff.
According to Norris, based on the trajectory of fire and the weapon discovered near the suspect’s body, officials believe there was only one shooter.
According to Kootenai County Sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Howard, law enforcement is looking into whether the fire was set intentionally to draw first responders to the scene.
The shelter-in-place order for Canfield Mountain Trailhead and the surrounding area has been lifted, but residents should stay tuned for updates on the ongoing fire.
An FBI spokesperson told ABC News that the agency assisted authorities in Kootenai County.
Idaho Governor Brad Little described the incident as a “heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters.”
“Multiple heroic firefighters were attacked today while responding to a fire in North Idaho,” Little said in an X post. “I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more,” she said.
A DHS official told ABC News that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem had been briefed on the shooting.
