At least three killed, multiple injured in shooting near Idaho fast food restaurant
At least three people were killed, and at least two others were injured in what authorities described as an active shooter incident Saturday near an In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho. The shooting prompted a massive law enforcement response and the temporary closure of roads and businesses in the area.
Twin Falls city spokesperson Josh Palmer said the shooting was reported at about 2:30 p.m. Palmer said the number of injured could rise as authorities continue to assess the scene.
“We expect that number to increase,” Palmer said at a news conference.
Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks told reporters the suspected shooter is deceased. Authorities are still trying to ascertain his identity and motive, Hicks added.
“We believe the threat to the community is over,” Hicks said.
The Twin Falls Police Department issued a public safety alert on social media, saying officers were responding to an active shooter incident near the In-N-Out Burger on Blue Lakes Boulevard North. The department urged residents and visitors to avoid the area while officers and first responders worked, noting that roads, including a nearby bridge, had been closed.
Later Saturday, Palmer said a shelter-in-place order for the area had been lifted and roads were gradually reopening as investigators processed the scene. Witnesses were being transported to the Twin Falls County Courthouse to provide statements to investigators.
The FBI’s Salt Lake City field office said on social media that it was aware of the incident and was responding to assist local law enforcement partners.
The shooting occurred in a busy commercial district that includes major retailers and a movie theater complex. Nearby businesses took precautionary measures as the incident unfolded.
A Chick-fil-A restaurant in the area announced it would close for the remainder of the day “out of an abundance of caution.”
The nearby Magic Valley Mall also went into lockdown during the emergency. A public safety employee at the mall told NBC News that the facility was locked down while authorities responded to what he described as a mass shooting.
This a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
