A tragic ambush in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, has claimed the lives of two firefighters responding to a brush fire on Canfield Mountain.
The incident began around 1:22 p.m. when crews were dispatched to a 20-acre wildfire.
Approximately 30 minutes later, gunshots rang out, targeting the first responders. Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris confirmed the suspect used high-powered sporting rifles, intentionally setting the fire to lure and attack the firefighters.
A third firefighter, seriously injured, underwent surgery and remains in stable condition, described as “fighting for his life.”
The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, supported by over 300 law enforcement officers and FBI agents, responded swiftly.
A tactical team located the suspect’s body in a wooded area after tracing mobile phone activity, finding a firearm nearby.
Authorities believe the deceased man acted alone, though his identity and cause of death remain undisclosed.
The shelter-in-place order for the area was lifted at 03:50 GMT on Monday, though the fire continued to burn.
Sheriff Norris stated, “We do believe he started it and it was totally intentional what he did.”
The motive behind the attack has not been established.
The Canfield Mountain area, a 24-acre recreational space popular for hiking and biking, became a scene of chaos as smoke rose and emergency vehicles flooded the region.
The fallen firefighters, one from the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department and another from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, were honored in a procession to Spokane, Washington.
Idaho Governor Brad Little called the incident “a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters,” urging support for the victims’ families.
While no structures were lost, the ongoing fire and the shock of the attack have left residents, like local Bruce Deming, wary of safety in the forested region.