Two firefighters were killed and another critically wounded in a calculated ambush on Sunday in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, after a man allegedly set a blaze to draw in first responders and then opened fire, authorities said. The attack unfolded on Canfield Mountain, just north of the city, and spanned several hours as emergency personnel were met with relentless sniper fire. According to Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris, the shooter used a high-powered sporting rifle to carry out the assault, firing rapidly at both firefighters and law enforcement officers.
Emergency services were initially dispatched to respond to a reported fire at around 1:21 p.m. PST. Within 40 minutes of their arrival, reports surfaced that responders were under active gunfire. Sheriff Norris described the situation as a “total ambush,” stating, “These firefighters did not have a chance.” The attack claimed the lives of a Coeur d’Alene firefighter and a Kootenai County Fire and Rescue firefighter, while a third firefighter was hospitalized in stable condition. Their identities have not yet been released.
More than 300 law enforcement personnel from city, county, state, and federal agencies responded to the scene. Among the responders were helicopters with snipers onboard, attempting to neutralize the threat. Despite early concerns that multiple shooters could be involved, investigators later determined that the gunman acted alone. Using mobile phone location data, authorities ultimately located the deceased suspect near the scene, though it remains unclear whether he died by suicide or was killed by responding officers.
Smoke from the 20-acre fire complicated the response, making aerial surveillance challenging even with heat-seeking technology. Sheriff Norris emphasized the urgency of recovering the suspect’s body as the wildfire advanced, saying, “A fire was rapidly approaching that body. And we had to scoop up that body and transport that body to another location.” He also noted that the scene was still very active and that more weapons might be recovered once crews could safely reenter the area.
