Two firefighters die after ambush on first responders in Idaho

IDAHO: Two people, believed to be fire personnel, were fatally shot and others injured while responding to a brush fire in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and at least one active shooter continued to fire at law enforcement with high-powered rifles, CNN reported, quoting Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris.

“We don’t know if there’s one, two, three or four shooters”, Norris said, with officers reporting bullets coming from multiple directions. “We will neutralise this threat”, CNN quoted Norris as stating further.

At least 11 firefighters shot
So far, two confirmed deaths
Unknown number of suspects
People trapped on the mountain
Fire on the mountain still burning
Police saying it could last for days

Prayers up for Coeur d’Alene, Idaho pic.twitter.com/f5RSrdVUoD

— dustin mills (@dustinemills24) June 30, 2025

The fire may have been intentionally set to draw first responders to the scene, one responding firefighter noted in audio from Kootenai County Fire and EMS via Broadcastify. 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 neutralise because they are not, at this point in time, showing any evidence of wanting to surrender”.

Multiple agencies are responding to the area, the chief said. The FBI is also sending assets “to provide tactical and operational support” to the active situation, Deputy Director Dan Bongino said on X.

FBI assets are headed to the scene in Coeur d’Alene to provide tactical and operational support.
It is an active scene.

— Dan Bongino (@FBIDDBongino) June 29, 2025

Kootenai County Emergency Management has told people in the area to shelter in place and asked others to avoid the area.

A SWAT team (Special Weapons and Tactics) found a deceased man near a gun on the Canfield Mountain Sunday night and a shelter-in-place order was lifted. The discovery came after at least two firefighters were killed in an apparent ambush while responding to a wildfire, officials said. More information is expected to be released at a 12:30pm (local time) news conference, the sheriff’s office said.

Two firefighters were fatally shot and a third is in surgery, according to the International Association of Fire Fighters. They were responding to a brush fire in the Canfield Mountain Natural Area in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

The blaze the firefighters were responding to is still burning, the sheriff’s office said Sunday night (local time), advising residents to be prepared “should further action need to be taken”. (ANI)