Two firefighters were killed and one was wounded in the United States after a gunman ambushed fire crews responding to a wildfire in the state of Idaho, officials said.
The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said on Sunday that a tactical response team had discovered the body of the suspected shooter on Canfield Mountain with a firearm nearby.
The office did not release his name or say what type of weapon was found.
“The shelter is currently being removed, but the fire is still burning on Canfield Mountain,” the statement said. “Residents in the area are advised to be prepared in case further action is needed.”
Earlier, Sheriff Bob Norris said police and firefighters were under sniper fire and urged people to stay away from the area around Canfield Mountain, a popular natural area for hikers near the city of Coeur d’Alene, about 260 miles east of Seattle, Al Jazeera reported.
The sheriff said the shooter used high-powered sporting rifles to fire rapidly at emergency services, and police were initially unsure of the number of perpetrators.
They were in a location “with dense brush and are well-prepared and blend in with the surroundings,” Norris added.
Video footage from the scene earlier showed smoke rising from the heavily wooded hillsides and armed emergency services preparing, while several ambulances were seen entering a nearby hospital.
“FBI technical teams and tactical resources are currently on scene providing support,” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino wrote on X. “It remains an active and very dangerous scene.”
Idaho Governor Brad Little said “multiple” firefighters were attacked.
“This is a heinous direct attack on our brave firefighters,” he said on X. “I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more.”
Kootenai County Sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Howard told ABC News that law enforcement is investigating whether the fire may have been intentionally set to draw emergency responders to the scene.
Gun ownership is widespread in the United States, where the Constitution protects the right of Americans to “keep and bear arms.”
Gun-related deaths are common. At least 17,927 people were killed by firearms in the United States in 2023, according to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
