A terrible act of violence transpired from what started as a response to a little brush fire on Canfield Mountain in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
According to local authorities, a shooter ambushed two firefighters Sunday afternoon, killing one and badly injuring another.
“Everyone has soared up here.”
After being sent to a wildfire close to a well-known outdoor recreation area in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on Sunday afternoon, a number of firemen were shot by an anonymous shooter.
According to audio that CNN was able to get, a firefighter hurriedly requested assistance over the radio, telling EMS, “We need law enforcement up here immediately.
” Firefighters responded to reports of a small brush fire at 1:30 p.m., which is when the incident started. Shots came from the bushes around half an hour later. Apparently, an unidentified attacker had been waiting.
CHILLING AUDIO: There is a massive police response after multiple first responders were reportedly shot during firefighting ambush in Idaho
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 29, 2025
“It’s obvious to me that this fire was started with the intention of attracting us,” the firefighter stated.
“There is an active shooter zone, so send law enforcement right now,” he continued.
“Everyone has soared up here.” There were two fatalities. Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris revealed during a news briefing that the two murdered individuals are believed to be firefighters.
The International Association of Fire Fighters, the organisation that represents firefighters, said in a statement posted on X that members were singled out while responding to a fire in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
“IAFF members were ambushed in a heinous act of violence while responding to a fire earlier today in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho,” the tweet states”
The statement continues, “A sniper killed two of our brothers, and a third brother is still undergoing treatment. Please remember to pray for them, their families, and law enforcement.
Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris disclosed the hazardous and tight circumstances his staff is working in during a press conference on Sunday night.
He emphasised the gravity of the development by saying, “We are actively taking sniper fire.
Norris continued, “This is a very, very new situation.”
Dead suspect discovered
A SWAT team later found a dead man on the mountain with a gun close by, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities believe the man is responsible for the fatal shooting. Authorities are investigating the terrifying possibility that the fire was intentionally started to lure emergency personnel into a deadly trap.
Lt Jeff Howard of the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office told ABC News, “We’re investigating whether the fire may have been used to attract first responders to the scene.”
Ed Davis, the former commissioner of police in Boston, told CNN that receiving a report about firefighters being shot at is “the worst-case scenario” for law enforcement.
According to him, the “chilling audio” was an obvious indication that individuals needed rapid rescue and that lives were in imminent danger.
“Very similar to a scene from a battlefield”
Davis remarked, “You feel bad for the firefighters who were reporting that because there were actual people on the ground who were pinned down behind their fire truck and bleeding to death.” This is a really upsetting environment that resembles a battlefield.
A DHS official informed ABC News that the FBI has joined the probe and that the Department of Homeland Security has also been briefed.
They have withdrawn the shelter-in-place order that was in effect for the Canfield Mountain Trailhead and the surrounding regions. However, locals should remain vigilant due to the current fire situation.
Idaho Governor Brad Little denounced the act as “a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters.” “Many brave firefighters were attacked today while responding to a fire in North Idaho,” he added in a statement on ” While we wait for additional information, I encourage all Idahoans to pray for them and their families.