At least 3 dead, 2 injured in shooting in Idaho; suspect dead
Three people are dead in what police described as an “active shooter incident” at an In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, on Saturday, a city spokesperson said.
At least two people were injured in the violence, and that number was expected to rise, Twin Falls spokesperson Josh Palmer said. Additional information about the people shot was not immediately available.
Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said a suspected shooter has died. It was not clear whether the shooter was being counted among the three dead.
The identity of the suspect and a possible motive were part of the investigation, Hicks said.
“We believe the threat to the community is over,” he said at a news conference. “The suspected shooter in this incident is deceased.”
City, county and state authorities responded to reports of shots fired at the In-N-Out on Blue Lakes Boulevard North around 2:30 p.m., Hicks said.
The area is also the location of multiple major retailers and a movie theater complex. Hicks said hundreds of potential witnesses were expected to be interviewed.
“Today has been a very hard day here in Twin Falls,” he said.
A shelter-in-place order for the area was later lifted and roads were being reopened as the shooting investigation continued, Palmer said.
A nearby Chick-fil-A said it was closing Saturday as a precaution.
“Out of an abundance of caution, Chick-fil-A Twin Falls will be closed for the remainder of today,” the restaurant said.
Magic Valley Mall nearby was closed and people inside were told to stay put, a public safety employee there said earlier Saturday afternoon.
The In-N-Out location, the fourth in Idaho, opened July 24, according to a news release from the California-based chain.
“We are heartbroken,” In-N-Out Chief Operating Officer Denny Warnick said in a statement Saturday. “Our prayers go out to our Customers, our Associates, and all of their families. We are working with the Twin Falls Police Department to assist in the on-going investigation.”
Joe Kottke and Linda Takahashi contributed.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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