‘Heinous direct assault’ on firefighters kills at least 2 in north Idaho

Authorities in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, continue to take “active sniper fire” after firefighters responded to a call on Canfield Mountain.

At least two people have been killed, according to Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris. During a brief news conference, he said it’s believed that the dead are firefighters. He said a fire was reported at 1:21p.m. local time and firefighters began taking shots around 2 p.m. No one so far has been taken into custody.

Norris said the suspect — or suspects — used high-powered “modern-day sporting rifles.” He called it a “dynamic situation,” as authorities are taking “rapid fire” as the blaze continues to burn. Hikers and residents are believed to be still trapped on the mountain.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little said firefighters were “attacked while responding to a fire in North Idaho.” In a post on X, the governor said, “this is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters.”

Sheriff Norris said numerous local, state and federal law enforcement have responded to the mountain, which is a popular recreation area. The sheriff said there’s an “active threat” and has asked people to shelter in place.

“If these individuals are not neutralized quickly, this is likely to be a multi-day operation,” said Sheriff Norris. He said the suspects are in heavy brush and are “well-prepared. They’re blending in with their surroundings.”

“We don’t know if there is one, two, three or four. We just don’t know,” Norris said when asked about the number of suspects. “I’m hoping that somebody has a clear shot and is able to neutralize [them]. Because they are not — at this point in time — showing any evidence of wanting to surrender. So as soon as somebody has a clear shot, I encourage them to take that shot and neutralize the threat.”

This is a breaking news story. We will update as the situation develops with reports from officials and other authorities, credible news outlets and reporters who are at the scene.