At least two people were k!lled when firefighters tackling a blaze were ambushed by gunmen in Idaho, US, on Sunday, June 29, the local sheriff said.
The blaze was still raging on the mountainside in Kootenai County as law enforcement exchanged gunfire with the shooter or shooters, Sheriff Robert Norris initially told reporters.
“We now have two de@ths. We have an unknown amount of casualties. We still have civilians that are coming off of that mountain… We are actively taking sniper fire as we speak,” he said at a press conference.
The shooter showed “no evidence of wanting to surrender,” he continued, adding: “As soon as somebody has a clear shot, I encourage them to take that shot to neutralize the threat.”
He said authorities believed the two people who were k!lled were firemen.
Earlier, local fire chief Pat Riley said he was “heartbroken” over the attack.
He told local TV station KHQ that no evacuations had been ordered, even though the fire was still burning.
As the gun attack went on, Norris and other officials told residents to shelter in place until the standoff was over.
“We do believe that the suspect started the fire,” Norris told a press conference. “This was a total ambush. These firefighters did not have a chance.”
A third wounded firefighter was “fighting for his life” after surgery and was in a stable condition, Norris added.
It was later revealed that the suspect has been k!lled.
Officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect but it was not clear if the gunman was hit and k!lled, or if he k!lled himself.
The motive for the shooting was not known and Norris did not provide any details on the suspect, saying officers were still working to identify the man.
FOLLOW US ON:
ADVERTISE WITH US:
