Latest news with #NorthIdaho
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Multiple firefighters shot, killed while responding to North Idaho brush fire; suspect found dead
Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris delivers remarks at a press conference on June 29, 2025, after a shooter opened fire on firefighters who were responding to an emergency call of a brush fire in Coeur d'Alene. (Screenshot) Update: This story was last updated at 11:45 p.m. Mountain time on June 29. Two firefighters have been killed and another is injured after crews in North Idaho responded to emergency calls of a brush fire and a shooter opened fire on their response. Kootenai Health spokesperson Kim Anderson said three victims were brought to the Coeur d'Alene hospital, the Associated Press reported. Two were dead on arrival and the third is being treated for injuries, Anderson said, according to the AP. The injured firefighter has been released from surgery, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said at a 9:30 p.m. Pacific time Sunday press conference. Information about his injuries or their extent was not released. 'He is fighting for his life but is in stable condition,' the sheriff said. 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. The sheriff said he believes the two incidents are related. 'We do believe that the suspect started the fire, and we do believe that it was an ambush and that it was intentional,' Norris said. 'We do believe he started it, and it was totally intentional, what he did.' 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, named the Nettleton Gulch 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 Sunday night 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.' Fire crews were unable to access the fire until it was deemed safe at around 7:30 p.m., the Idaho Department of Lands said in a press release. 'Crews estimate the fire to be about 15-20 acres, with numerous snags and steep terrain,' the press release says. 'Additional resources including aircraft, heavy equipment, water tenders, engines, hand crews and a Type 3 Incident Management Team are on order and anticipated to work the fire tomorrow.' The cause of the fire remains under investigation, the Department of Lands said in the release. 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 sheriff urged the public to wait until official information is released by law enforcement to donate to funds to benefit the victims' families. Scammers have been known to take advantage of tragedies like this and start GoFundMe fundraising campaigns without the consent of the families, he said. '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. The responding fire crews, which included three engines, were dispatched from from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue and the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department. One of the firefighters killed was from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, while the other was from the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department. The injured firefighter served the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department, Norris said. 'There is a belief that (the shooter) ran and shot, so we don't know what (evidence) we might be collecting once the fire threat diminishes,' Norris said. Norris said the suspect's body was removed from the scene to preserve it due to the threat of the fire. The sheriff held two press conferences on Sunday: one at 4:30 p.m. Pacific, and one at 9:30 p.m. 'We are actively taking sniper fire as we speak,' Norris said 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 initially said law enforcement was unsure if there is one shooter or multiple attackers, but at the evening press conference, he said the ongoing investigation was pointing to one shooter. At the afternoon conference, he said officers and deputies were reporting from the scene that the shooter was '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.' Authorities are unsure whether the shooter was killed by responding officers or if he killed himself with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Norris said. He said an autopsy of the suspect's body is scheduled in Spokane and would offer more information on how he died. Multiple local North Idaho, state and federal agencies — an estimated 300 law enforcement officers, some from as far away as Montana — 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. Kootenai County Commission chairman Bruce Mattare said the shooting was 'senseless and tragic beyond words.' 'June 29,2025, is a day that we will not forget in this community,' Mattare said at the evening press conference. 'It is the day evil showed its face and we lost two outstanding professionals of the highest quality, and I cannot fathom why anyone would commit such a heinous act.' The commissioner said this kind of 'senseless violence is unheard of here' and does not reflect Coeur d'Alene as a community. 'When you hear how others portray the people who live here on the news, it's not true,' Mattare said. 'What happened here decades ago is not reflective of the fine people who live here today. And I want everyone to know that this is a wonderful place to live, to raise your family and visit.' He stressed that resources were being provided at the state and federal level to investigate the killings and fire. '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. '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. Idaho Capital Sun is 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@
CNN
a day ago
- CNN
Live updates: Idaho, Coeur d'Alene shooting: Two firefighters dead while responding to a brush fire
Update: Date: 8 min ago Title: Secretary of Agriculture says she's "praying for the victims and their families" Content: Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said that she had spoken to Idaho Gov. Brad Little about the 'horrific attack' in a post on X. 'We are praying for the victims and their families and will provide an update as more information becomes available,' she said. The incident is unfolding in the Canfield Mountain Natural Area, a park managed by the US Forest Service, which is part of the Department of Agriculture. Update: Date: 4 min ago Title: Governor urges people to stay away from scene Content: Idaho Gov. Brad Little urged people to stay away from the area to allow law enforcement and firefighters to do their work. 'Multiple heroic firefighters were attacked today while responding to a fire in North Idaho,' 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. Teresa and I are heartbroken.' Update: Date: 12 min ago Title: 'We don't know if there's one, two three or four,' shooters, sheriff says Content: Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris said the number of shooters in Sunday's attack is unclear. 'We don't know if there's one, two three or four,' shooters, Norris said at a news conference, with officers reporting bullets coming from multiple directions. 'We will neutralize this threat.' The blaze, which began as a half-acre, remains active as police work to stop the 'rapid-fire' shooting. 'This is going to likely be a multiday operation,' Norris said. 'It's going to be a tough next couple hours … I'm hoping that somebody has a clear shot and is able to neutralize because they are not, at this point in time, showing any evidence of wanting to surrender.' The shooter or shooters are using 'modern day sporting rifles,' Norris said. Update: Date: 10 min ago Title: FBI deputy director sends assets to "provide tactical and operational support" Content: FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Sunday evening the FBI has been dispatched to the 'active scene' of the shooting in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. 'FBI assets are headed to the scene in Coeur d'Alene to provide tactical and operational support. It is an active scene,' Bongino posted on X. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said Secretary Kristi Noem is 'actively monitoring the situation in Coeur d'Alene' 'Pray for Idaho's first responders,' Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs posted on X. Update: Date: 7 min ago Title: US senator says he's "monitoring the horrific reports out of Coeur d'Alene" Content: US Sen. Mike Crapo, who represents Idaho, said in a post on X that he was 'monitoring the horrific reports out of Coeur d'Alene.' 'I urge local residents to follow recommendations of law enforcement,' the post reads. 'My prayers are with victims and first responders.' Update: Date: 5 min ago Title: 2 people dead as at least one active shooter still fires at law enforcement in Idaho. Catch up here Content: Two people were fatally shot and others injured in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, as at least one active shooter continues to fire at law enforcement, according to state officials. This is a developing story. Here's what we know:
Wall Street Journal
a day ago
- Wall Street Journal
Idaho Firefighters Shot While Responding to Fire
Two people are dead and an unknown number of people have been wounded during an active-shooter incident in Coeur d'Alene Idaho, according to local officials. Gov. Brad Little said firefighters were attacked while responding to reports of a brush fire in North Idaho.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Two killed and firefighters attacked by active shooter ‘sniper fire' in Idaho
An armed individual or individuals shot at multiple firefighters responding to a brush fire near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, on Sunday, likely killing two first responders, according to officials. 'Multiple heroic firefighters were attacked today while responding to a fire in North Idaho,' 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.' The ambush took place as fire crews were responding to a brush fire on Canfield Mountain. The suspect or suspects is still at large. Two died as a result of the shooting, Sheriff Bob Norris said at a Sunday afternoon press briefing, and the official said he believed but hadn't been able to fully confirm they were firefighters. No police officers have been hit in the shooting, he said. Others were injured in the shooting, though an official count is yet to be published. The sheriff added that officials are unsure the total number of suspects, and warned the crisis could spiral into a 'multi-day situation' if the threat isn't headed off quickly. 'I'm hoping somebody has a clear shot and is able to neutralize them,' he added. 'They are not at this point showing any evidence of wanting to surrender.' The police official said the shooting appeared to come from a high-powered rifle. Pat Riley, Northern Lakes fire chief, told the Idaho Statesman multiple firefighters were hit by an 'ambush-style active shooter.' The incident is under investigation and considered an active shooter situation, with shelter in place orders for Canfield Mountain Trailhead and the surrounding area, the Kootenai County Sheriff's office told ABC News. The shooting took place around 2pm and multiple shots were fired, according to the sheriff's office. Police are probing whether the fire was set to lure first responders to the area. The FBI is assisting with the response to the shooting, as is the Spokane County, Washington, sheriff's office. Bystanders are reportedly still coming down from the mountain. Fire crews are unable to begin fully battling the blaze until the security threat is over, according to officials. This is a breaking news story and will be updated with new information.
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Mother of slain Idaho college student makes desperate plea ahead of Brian Kohberger murder trial
The mother of one of the four University of Idaho students viciously murdered in their off-campus home is raising money to attend the trial of their accused murderer. Xana Kernodle was killed alongside her boyfriend Ethan Chapin and friends Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen back in November 2022. Their accused killer, 30-year-old PhD criminology student Bryan Kohberger, will finally face trial in August. A friend of Xana's mom, Cara Kernodle, has now launched a fundraising appeal in an effort to ensure she can be in court during the proceedings. 'There is no way she can afford to be there without help,' her friend Lori Scott wrote on the GoFundMe page. 'She has overcome so much and just wants to be there to know the correct justice is served. 'No mother should have to deal with this but to not be able to afford to be at trial is unthinkable.' Cara is also being supported by her friends and her local church, but Scott said the financial burden is still too big to bear, particularly when factoring in every day living costs. 'She has been stressing this. Let's help her not have to... The travel expenses, food, and having to miss work is something most of us couldn't do without help.' The mom-of-three has been living in North Idaho, 400 miles from the courthouse where Kohberger will be tried, since her release from prison last year. 'The loss of my beautiful daughter Xana has been the hardest thing I never thought I would have to endure,' she recently told Fox News. 'If you are not able to donate, prayers are even more appreciated. My hope is that truth and justice through God will be accomplished.' Cara had previously told s he fell into a dark place after her daughter's death, struggling to stay sober as she fought her battle with addiction, which ultimately resulted in her incarceration. 'It's a living nightmare,' she said. 'I relapsed after my daughter's killing. Then four days after that, I got picked up on new charges.' At night, she said, she can barely sleep as she replays the massacre in her mind and wrestles with personal demons. Cara was released from custody in late 2024, according to court documents, and will remain on probation until late 2027. Her fundraising efforts follow the families of both Goncalves and Mogen, who have both successfully raised money to attend court proceedings during the case. The Goncalves fundraiser has raised more than $80,000 to ensure 10 of Kaylee's relatives can be there every single day of the trial. 'We are looking to find an Airbnb or a house for rent that will house all 10 Goncalves family members as well as their small pets for at least those three months,' the fundraiser said, noting the trial is anticipated to last at least 12 weeks. 'Since this will be a huge disruption to their work and life, we also would love to raise enough money for meals, loss of work, transportation.' The Mogen fundraiser has raised more than $46,000. 'Maddie's mom, Karen, and stepfather, Scotty, need financial support for travel, room, board and lost wages to attend the trial in person,' the page read. 'We ask for your kindness in this impossibly difficult time to help them fill the financial gaps. Any donations not used for these expenses will help raise funds for memorial scholarships.' Kohberger successfully appealed to have the trial moved from North Idaho to Boise in an effort to secure an impartial jury. Just last week, Kohberger's legal team filed a bombshell last-minute request to delay his upcoming trial amid concerns that an episode of NBC's Dateline that aired earlier this month violates a gag order and would make it harder to find jurors. The episode had revealed new details about the killings, including the suspected killer's phone records, porn choices and online searches for Ted Bundy. It also aired never-before-seen surveillance footage of a suspect vehicle fleeing the horrific crime scene on November 13, 2022. 'The show repeatedly emphasizes the nonpublic nature of this information, stating it was obtained from unnamed sources wo are close to the investigation and that the materials were obtained exclusively by Dateline,' reads the 40-page motion. 'Much of the ''investigative'' materials presented by Dateline was taken out of context and will not be admissible at trial because it lacks reliability,' Kohberger's attorneys argued. 'Moving forward with a capital murder trial in August will infringe upon Mr. Kohberger's constitutional rights, as counsel requires more time to review discovery, complete investigations and prepare for trial.' Judge Steven Hippler had already ordered an investigation into the leak. The three month trial will be followed by the sentencing phase if he is convicted, where jurors will decide whether or not to send him to death row. Due to changes in state law, Kohberger could face the firing squad.
