By Aldgra Fredly
Contributing Writer
Two firefighters were killed and one injured in a sniper ambush while responding to a fire in the mountains of northern Idaho on Sunday, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.
Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris told reporters that a suspect’s body was found on Canfield Mountain near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where the gunfire was reported. A firearm was also recovered nearby.
The suspect is believed to have acted alone in the shooting. Norris did not release any details about the suspect, or the type of firearm recovered at the scene.
“We do believe that the suspect started the fire, and we do believe that it was an ambush and it was intentional,” he said at a press conference.
A shelter-in-place order has since been lifted but the sheriff’s office warned that a wildfire remains active in the area.
“Residents in the area are advised to be prepared and ready should further action need to be taken,” it stated.
Norris said earlier that gunfire was reported around 2 p.m. local time, while fire crews were responding to a blaze on Canfield Mountain, adding that law enforcement officers were actively taking sniper fire.
The International Association of Fire Fighters confirmed that its members were ambushed by a sniper, killing two firefighters and with a third undergoing surgery.
Norris said it appeared the sniper was hiding in the rugged terrain and using a high-powered rifle. He said he instructed deputies to fire back.
“I’m hoping that somebody has a clear shot and is able to neutralize, because they’re not at this point in time showing any evidence of wanting to surrender,” the sheriff had said.
An alert by the Kootenai County Emergency Management Office asked people to avoid the area around Canfield Mountain Trailhead and Nettleton Gulch Road, about 4 miles north of downtown Coeur d’Alene.
Though the shelter-in-place order was lifted, the sheriff’s office cautioned residents to be prepared because the fire was still burning.
In a statement, Idaho Gov. Brad Little said that multiple firefighters were attacked and urged people to stay clear of the area.
“This is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters. I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more,” he stated. “As this situation is still developing, please stay clear from the area to allow law enforcement and firefighters to do their jobs.”
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino stated that the agency has deployed “tactical and operational support” to the scene.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the department is actively monitoring the situation on Canfield Mountain.
“Pray for Idaho’s first responders. Justice will be served,” Noem stated on social media.
Coeur d’Alene is a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington. Canfield Mountain is a popular hiking and biking area on the outskirts of the northern Idaho city, covered with trees and heavy brush and crisscrossed with trails.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
