UPDATE: Suspected Gunman Found Dead with Firearm on Canfield Mountain After Deadly Ambush That Killed Firefighters Near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
A devastating and violent turn of events unfolded Sunday in northern Idaho, as two firefighters were fatally shot while responding to a brush fire on Canfield Mountain, just outside Coeur d’Alene. The attack, described by authorities as a “sniper-style ambush,” has shocked the tight-knit mountain community and sparked a massive tactical response.
Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris confirmed that law enforcement teams came under heavy gunfire, with shots believed to be coming from multiple directions. The terrain, dense with trees and thick brush, made it difficult for helicopters using heat-detection equipment to identify the shooter or shooters due to smoke from the still-burning wildfire.
“We are under active sniper fire,” Sheriff Norris stated in a tense press briefing. “We don’t know how many suspects we’re dealing with… there could be one or more hiding in the woods. It’s a highly dangerous and evolving situation.”
Authorities have urged the public to avoid the area around Canfield Mountain Trailhead and Nettleton Gulch Road, warning that the situation could stretch into multiple days. Hikers already on the mountain have been told to shelter in place, but confusion remains as heat-signature scans struggle to distinguish between civilians and suspects in the rugged terrain.
Governor Brad Little condemned the attack, calling it a “heinous and direct assault on our heroic firefighters.” He and other officials, including FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, assured the public that state and federal agencies are working together to bring the assailants to justice.
The International Association of Fire Fighters confirmed that two of its members were killed and a third remains in surgery. “This was an unthinkable act of violence against public servants who were simply doing their jobs,” IAFF President Edward Kelly posted on social media.
Local fire chief Pat Riley was visibly shaken in an interview, saying the loss had left him “heartbroken.”
Residents, including 80-year-old local Linda Tiger, expressed disbelief. “I’ve lived here for almost 30 years… nothing like this has ever happened,” she said. “It’s terrifying. We’re supposed to be sheltering in place, but not everyone has heard the news.”
As investigators search for answers… and suspects… Idahoans are being asked to stay clear of the area and keep the fallen and their families in their thoughts.
