Idaho firefighters attacked while responding to fire, governor says
Idaho firefighters were "attacked" while responding to a wildfire on Sunday, said Gov. Brad Little as authorities searched for the shooting suspect.
The big picture: The Post Falls-based firefighters were responding to the blaze at Canfield Mountain, in the state's northwest, when "shots were fired" in the Coeur d'Alene area about 2pm local time, per a statement posted on the Kootenai County Sheriff's office website that urged people to avoid the area and follow shelter-in-place alerts.
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5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Audio released of moment Idaho firefighters ambushed while responding to blaze: 'Emergency situation'
Audio from the scene in Kootenai County, Idaho, where firefighters responding to a blaze were ambushed reveals the moment a call for help was made. Two firefighters were killed and another was wounded in a sniper ambush Sunday afternoon. Authorities later located the body of a deceased man with a firearm nearby and lifted the shelter-in-place order that had been in place. The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office said fire crews responded to a blaze at Canfield Mountain just north of Coeur d'Alene at around 1:30 p.m. Gunshots were reported about a half-hour later. In audio from the scene, a firefighter said there was an "emergency situation" and an "active shooter at a fire." Authorities Find Man With Firearm Nearby Hours After Idaho Firefighters Killed In Ambush "We need law enforcement up here immediately," the firefighter told a dispatcher, adding that there were "two battalion chiefs down." Read On The Fox News App "We have another Coeur d'Alene firefighter down ... we've got two unresponsive battalion chiefs down, multiple gunshot wounds, two Coeur d'Alene are down ... I'm pinned down," the caller continued. The caller also says that the fire "was set intentionally to draw us in." "It's clear to me that this fire was set intentionally to draw us in," the caller said. Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris said at a news conference later Sunday afternoon that two firefighters were killed and another was fighting for his life, though in stable condition, after receiving surgery. Authorities tracked down the body of the suspected sniper using cell phone information. Due to the danger, fire crews had to retreat, and the brush fire continued to pose a threat. California Shooting Leaves 1 Officer Dead, Another Wounded Idaho Gov. Brad Little said "multiple" firefighters were attacked in the incident. "Multiple heroic firefighters were attacked today while responding to a fire in North Idaho," he 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. Teresa and I are heartbroken. As this situation is still developing, please stay clear from the area to allow law enforcement and firefighters to do their jobs." FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said the agency responded to the scene with technical teams and tactical support. Fox News' Stepheny Price contributed to this article source: Audio released of moment Idaho firefighters ambushed while responding to blaze: 'Emergency situation'
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Multiple people dead as shooter attacks firefighters responding to Idaho brush fire
In this June 2022 file photo, a Kootenai County sheriff's car is parked outside the justice building. (Photo by Anteia McCollum/Idaho Capital Sun) Update: This story was last updated at 9:10 p.m. Mountain time on June 29. Two people have been killed and another is injured after firefighters in north Idaho responded to emergency calls of a brush fire and a shooter opened fire on their response, according to Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris. Kootenai Health spokesperson Kim Anderson said three victims were brought to the hospital, the Associated Press reported. Two were dead on arrival and the third was being treated for injuries, Anderson said, according to the AP. 'The wounded firefighter's condition wasn't known,' the AP reported. The fire was reported around 1:30 p.m. Pacific time Sunday near the east side of Canfield Mountain in Coeur d'Alene. The shooter opened fire around 2 p.m., Norris said at a Sunday afternoon press conference. At about 8:50 p.m. Sunday, the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office said in a press release that a responding SWAT team located a dead man with a rifle nearby on Canfield Mountain. A shelter-in-place order from the Kootenai County Emergency Management system has now been lifted, according to the sheriff's office. However, the brush fire is still burning because firefighters had to suspend their response while the shooter was still active. 'There is still an active wildfire on Canfield Mountain,' Kootenai County Emergency Management said in a post on Facebook. 'Local residents should be prepared and ready in the event that the situation escalates. Please continue to follow official sources for accurate information.' The Canfield Mountain area has been designated a no-fly zone, 'including a strict prohibition on drone use,' the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office said in Sunday night press release. 'Unauthorized aircraft or drones in the area pose a serious risk to firefighting and law enforcement operations.' 'The first call was at 1:21 (p.m.) on a fire, and then we started receiving over our radio that the firefighters were receiving shots fired from the mountain,' Norris said at the Sunday afternoon press conference. Norris said he believes that the two people killed were firefighters. The responding fire crews, which included three engines, were dispatched from from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue and the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department. 'We are actively taking sniper fire as we speak,' Norris said at a press conference at 4:35 p.m. Pacific time. 'This is an active situation. We have multiple agencies that are on scene from local and federal authorities, and we are prepared to neutralize this suspect who is currently, actively shooting at public safety personnel.' The sheriff said 'it appears modern-day sporting rifles are being used' in the attack. Norris said law enforcement is unsure if there is one shooter or multiple attackers. He said officers and deputies are reporting from the scene that the shooter is 'blending in with their surroundings' and that shots were being fired from what seemed like multiple directions. 'It's going to be a tough next couple hours. I'm hoping that somebody has a clear shot and is able to neutralize (the shooter),' Norris said at the afternoon press conference. 'Because they are not showing at this point in time any evidence that they are wanting to surrender.' Multiple local North Idaho, state and federal agencies have responded to the incident, Norris said. Dan Bongino, the FBI's deputy director, said in a post on X said that officials from the FBI had been dispatched 'to provide tactical and operational support' to the scene. U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, reposted the update on his account. 'Multiple heroic firefighters were attacked today while responding to a fire in North Idaho,' Idaho Gov. Brad Little said in a post 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. (Idaho first lady) Teresa and I are heartbroken.' The governor and emergency response officials urged the public to stay away from the area while police secure and process the scene. Multiple heroic firefighters were attacked today while responding to a fire in North Idaho. 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. Teresa and I are heartbroken. 'Gut-wrenching news coming from Coeur d'Alene,' Simpson posted on X. 'As the situation develops, our thoughts and prayers are with the brave firefighters and all first responders on the scene.' U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, both R-Idaho, also posted on X that they are monitoring the reports on the incident and are praying for the first responders and their families. 'I am monitoring the horrific reports out of Coeur d'Alene this evening,' Crapo posted. 'I urge local residents to follow recommendations of law enforcement. My prayers are with victims and first responders.' In a statement at 7 p.m. Sunday, Idaho House Republican leadership said they were 'shocked by such a vicious attack.' 'We are horrified by the murder of two firefighters in Coeur d'Alene, and shocked by such a vicious attack on our first responders. We are praying for them, the injured, their families and their colleagues,' the statement said. An additional press conference is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. tonight, according to a Kootenai County Sheriff's Office press release. This article was first published by Idaho Capital Sun, part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Idaho shooting: two dead after gunman ambushed firefighters responding to blaze
A man armed with a rifle intentionally started a wildfire and then began shooting at first responders in a northern Idaho mountain community, killing two firefighters and wounding a third during a barrage of gunfire over several hours, authorities said. A shelter-in-place order was lifted Sunday night after a tactical response team used mobile phone data to 'hone in' on a wooded area where they found the suspect's body with a firearm nearby as flames rapidly approached, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said. 'We do believe that the suspect started the fire, and we do believe that it was an ambush and it was intentional,' Norris said at a late night news conference. 'These firefighters did not have a chance.' Sheriff's officials said crews responded to a fire at Canfield Mountain just north of Coeur d'Alene about 1.30pm, and gunshots were reported about half an hour later. Investigators said the gunman acted alone. 'We believe that was the only shooter that was on that mountain at that time,' Norris said. The sheriff said the shooter used high-powered sporting rifles to fire rapidly at first responders, with law enforcement initially unsure of the number of perpetrators involved. The Department of Homeland Security secretary, Kristi Noem, has been briefed on the Idaho shooting, ABC News reported. The state's 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.' Three victims were brought to Kootenai Health, said hospital spokesperson Kim Anderson. Two were dead on arrival and the third was being treated for injuries, Anderson said. The wounded firefighter was 'fighting for his life' after surgery and was in stable condition, Norris said. The scene was described as sheer pandemonium as the brush fire burned and firefighters rushed to the scene only to come under heavy fire. First responders made urgent calls for help on their radios: 'Everybody's shot up here … send law enforcement now,' one dispatch said. Later on Sunday the bodies of the dead firefighters arrived in the nearby city of Spokane, Washington, escorted by a procession of fire and law enforcement vehicles. Firefighters and others saluted as the vehicles passed by. Though the shelter-in-place order was lifted, the sheriff's office cautioned residents to be prepared because the fire was still burning. Coeur d'Alene is a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington. Canfield Mountain is a popular hiking and biking area on the outskirts of the northern Idaho city, covered with trees and heavy brush and crisscrossed with trails.
