Three people were killed and seven others were wounded, several of them critically, in a shooting at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in the southern Idaho city of Twin Falls on Saturday, authorities said.
Reuters reported on Sunday, Aug. 2, citing local officials, that police responding to the attack found the body of the suspected gunman near the restaurant. Authorities have not confirmed whether the suspect is included in the death toll, while investigators continue working to establish the shooter’s identity and motive.
The shooting unfolded shortly after 2 p.m. local time at the newly opened restaurant in a busy shopping plaza. Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said officers believe there is no longer any threat to the public.
“We believe the threat to the community is over,” Hicks told reporters. “It was a very chaotic scene.”
Twin Falls city spokesperson Josh Palmer said authorities were still notifying victims’ families and therefore had not released the identities or ages of those killed and injured. Several of the wounded remain in critical condition.
Investigators continued interviewing witnesses and reviewing evidence from the scene, where hundreds of people were in the area at the time of the attack.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as gunfire erupted. One eyewitness told media he saw a person carrying what appeared to be an AR-style rifle near the restaurant’s drive-thru, while another armed individual fired at the suspected shooter. Other witnesses described customers and employees fleeing the restaurant as staff helped injured victims escape.
Police have not said whether the victims were targeted or whether the shooting was random.
The restaurant, which opened on July 24 as part of In-N-Out Burger’s expansion into Idaho, was crowded with customers when the shooting occurred. Several victims were transported to St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center, where hospital officials said they were working closely with law enforcement and emergency responders.
Authorities have opened an investigation into the shooting and said additional information will be released as the inquiry progresses. No motive has been established, and officials have not indicated whether the suspect had any known connection to the victims or the restaurant.
