BOISE, Idaho (AP) — While responding to a wildfire near Coeur d Alene, Idaho, two firefighters were shot and ambushed, resulting in their deaths and the serious injuries of another, according to authorities.
What you need to know about the attack on Sunday, the investigation, and the following steps is provided here.
Ambush starts with a brush fire
Firefighters initially responded to an early afternoon complaint of a brush fire at Canfield Mountain, a well-liked and picturesque hiking and biking destination close to the town’s edge, according to Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris. However, someone started shooting at the firefighters as soon as they got there.
According to Norris, the fire was set up to trick the firefighters into an ambush.
He claimed that these firefighters had no chance.
When law enforcement arrived, they locked down the neighborhoods close to the hiking area and searched for the shooter in the mountainous, well-covered terrain, which was surrounded by trees, dense vegetation, and smoke from the fire.
First hours are chaotic, with injuries and number of shooters unknown
According to Norris, it was unclear over the course of the following few hours if hikers or other outdoor enthusiasts were stranded on the mountain or whether any people had been hurt in the shooting. The risk that the responding law enforcement and firefighters faced was evident. He claimed that they and the shooter engaged in gunfire.
At a press conference on Sunday afternoon, Norris informed reporters, “We don’t know how many suspects are up there, and we don’t know how many casualties there are.” As we talk, we are currently under sniper fire.
Three persons were sent to the hospital, two of whom were already dead when they got there, and one of whom was hurt, according to a Kootenai Health spokesperson.
Among the dead were firefighters from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue and the Coeur d Alene Fire Department. Later that evening, Norris stated that a third firefighter was critically hurt but had survived surgery and was battling for his life.
Cellphone data helps law enforcement find the suspect
Authorities narrowed their search using mobile data after discovering that a portion of the containment area, which covered more than 17,000 square feet (1,580 square meters), was burning. Around 3:15 p.m., they detected a cell signal and observed that it had remained in the same spot for a while, according to Norris.
When a tactical response team arrived on the scene, they discovered a dead man with a gun close by. According to the sheriff, authorities think the man was the shooter. The shooter acted alone, according to investigators.
The fire complicates the crime scene
Authorities had to remove the suspect’s body before it was consumed by flames because the fire was burning near it, according to Norris.
Overnight, crews were positioned throughout the region, and the sheriff stated that the inquiry would resume on Monday.
According to Norris, police think they might discover additional weapons the suspect had left behind once they have had a chance to thoroughly inspect the area.
Names and other details have not been released
The names of the firefighters who were killed and injured are yet unknown.
Nor has the suspect’s name, which officials are awaiting confirmation of, according to Norris.
The bodies of the fallen firemen were transported from the Coeur d Alene hospital to the medical examiner’s office in Spokane, Washington, a nearby city just across the state line, escorted by a convoy of fire and law enforcement vehicles.
