A shooting at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho, on Saturday afternoon resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries, according to Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks. The shooter was among the deceased, Hicks confirmed during a news conference, adding that authorities were still working to identify the individual and determine a motive. "We believe the threat to the community is over," Hicks stated. He noted that the exact number of people killed or wounded was not yet known as officials focused on notifying next of kin.
Twin Falls County Commissioner Brent Reinke, citing information from Sheriff Jack Johnson, indicated that five people were injured. A witness, Lane Koehn, 34, described seeing a person with an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru, after which a man with a pistol began firing. Koehn also observed an In-N-Out employee drag a wounded coworker, who appeared to have a chest injury, across the parking lot. Koehn and the armed civilian remained until paramedics arrived.
Video footage captured by a driver across the street showed an individual, seemingly dressed in black, approach a white car with a long rifle, open the driver-side door, and access the trunk. The videographer left the scene out of concern that the individual might retrieve additional weapons. Another witness, Haley Dodaro, 43, was in the drive-thru line with her mother when they saw people running and employees fleeing the restaurant. Initially mistaking the situation for a fire, Dodaro soon learned from a traffic director that a shooter was present.
Nayeli Rodriguez, 40, of Burley, was inside the restaurant with her daughters when she heard shots from the kitchen area. An employee informed them it was a shooting and instructed patrons to take cover. Rodriguez recounted how an older man shielded her and her daughters, who were among the last to evacuate. They left their vehicle behind in the parking lot, receiving a ride from other individuals.
The incident occurred near a busy shopping area, with hundreds of people present at the time, Chief Hicks said. Police are interviewing witnesses and have requested that anyone with information contact authorities. The In-N-Out restaurant had opened approximately one week prior, on July 24, as part of the company's expansion into Idaho. Multiple agencies responded to the scene, which prompted road closures and advisories for people to avoid the area. Several individuals were transported to St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center. Twin Falls, a city of about 56,000 residents, is located roughly 130 miles southeast of Boise and 75 miles north of the Nevada border.