Shooting Incident at Idaho In-N-Out Burger Leaves Three Dead and Seven Injured

Boise, Idaho (AP) – A shooting at an In-N-Out Burger in southern Idaho resulted in three deaths and seven injuries. Some of those injured are in critical condition. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon. A city spokesperson for Twin Falls provided this information.

The police discovered the suspect’s body near the restaurant. It is not confirmed whether the suspect is among the deceased, according to Josh Palmer, the public information officer for Twin Falls. The authorities are working to notify victims’ families before releasing personal details.

Chief of Police Matthew Hicks stated that the identity and motive of the shooter are still under investigation. During a press conference, Hicks mentioned that the threat to the community has ended, describing the scene as chaotic.

Investigators are interviewing witnesses of the shooting. The restaurant, located in a busy shopping area, had hundreds of people present when the incident took place around 2 p.m.

Lane Koehn, a 34-year-old witness, described seeing a person with a rifle emerge from the drive-thru. A man armed with a handgun then engaged the shooter. Koehn also observed an In-N-Out employee dragging a fellow employee who had been shot in the chest to safety. They stayed with the injured person until paramedics arrived.

Koehn was advised by the police to evacuate since the situation was unresolved. He stated the assailant fired at least three to four shots, and it was unclear if there was a specific target.

A video recorded from the opposite side of the street showed a shooter, dressed in black, approaching a white car with a long rifle. He opened the driver’s side door and trunk. The video’s recorder left the scene quickly, fearing the person was retrieving more weapons.

Haley Dodaro, 43, from Twin Falls, was at In-N-Out with her mother. As they waited in the drive-thru, they saw people fleeing and workers exiting the restaurant. Initially thinking there was a fire, Dodaro learned from a traffic director there was a shooter, prompting shock and fear among witnesses.

Nayeli Rodriguez, 40, from Burley, was inside with her daughters when the shots rang from the kitchen. An employee instructed them to get on the floor for safety. Rodriguez recounted that an elderly man shielded her and her children, and they were among the last to flee. Strangers later gave them a ride to safety, leaving her car in the parking lot.

The Twin Falls In-N-Out opened recently on July 24 as part of the company’s expansion into Idaho. Several injured individuals were taken to St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center.

The hospital is collaborating closely with law enforcement and emergency services, according to hospital spokesperson Taylor Marschner.

Twin Falls is home to approximately 56,000 residents, located 205 kilometers southeast of Boise and 120 kilometers north of the Nevada border.

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Bellisle reported from Seattle, with contributions from Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

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This story was translated from English with the help of a generative AI tool.