Shooting at In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls

A tragic shooting at an In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, left three people dead and seven injured, some critically, on Saturday afternoon. Twin Falls city spokesperson, Josh Palmer, confirmed the incident. Among the dead is the presumed attacker, whose body was found near the restaurant. Authorities have not disclosed whether the attacker is included in the count of fatalities.

Officials are still notifying the victims’ families before releasing names, ages, or further details about the injured. Some of those hurt are in critical condition. The identity and motive of the shooter remain unclear. Twin Falls Police Chief, Matthew Hicks, addressed the public at a press conference, stating, “We believe the threat to the community has ended.” Hicks described a “very chaotic scene.” Investigators continue to interview witnesses.

The shooting occurred in a busy shopping area around 2 p.m., with many people present. Lane Koehn, 34, was at a traffic light when he saw a person with an AR-type rifle leaving the drive-thru. A man armed with a handgun began firing at the shooter. Koehn witnessed an In-N-Out employee dragging a wounded colleague with a chest injury across the parking lot. The employee, Koehn, and the handgun wielder stayed with the injured until paramedics arrived. Koehn expressed hope for the wounded person’s survival, adding that police advised evacuation as the shooting hadn’t concluded at that moment.

Eyewitnesses reported at least three to four shots fired, with no clear target identified. A video from across the street captured the shooter, dressed in black, approaching a white car, opening the driver’s door, and the trunk. The videographer quickly drove away, fearing more weaponry retrieval.

Haley Dodaro, 43, and her mother were at the drive-thru when they saw people fleeing the area and workers rushing outside. Initially thinking there was a fire, they learned of the shooting from a traffic director. Dodaro shared her fear in a text to The Associated Press.

Nayeli Rodriguez, 40, from Burley, was inside with her daughters, waiting for their meal, when gunfire erupted from the kitchen. An employee alerted them to the shooting, instructing everyone to get down. Rodriguez described how an older man shielded her and her daughters, and they were among the last to leave. A couple offered them a ride away from the scene, leaving Rodriguez’s car behind.

The In-N-Out location had opened about a week earlier, on July 24, as part of the chain’s expansion into Idaho.

Victims were taken to St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center. Hospital spokesperson Taylor Marschner stated they are cooperating with law enforcement and emergency services in handling the incident.

Twin Falls, with a population of roughly 56,000, is located 205 kilometers (130 miles) southeast of Boise and 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the Nevada border.