Multiple people were killed and others were injured in a shooting Saturday afternoon at an In-N-Out in Twin Falls, Idaho, according to officials.
The shooter died, said Josh Palmer, the city’s public information officer, and all shelter-in-place orders have been lifted.
“We believe that the threat to the community is over,” Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks told reporters Saturday evening.
“It appears there was one shooter who is deceased from a self inflicted gunshot,” Duane Rubink, chief of the neighboring Jerome Police Department, told CNN. The scene is still under investigation and likely will be into the evening, he said.
The highly-anticipated burger chain had been open for only a week at its Twin Falls location, its new, beckoning storefront quickly becoming a local destination before the violence.
Video showed customers and In-N-Out workers, distinguishable by their red aprons and branded paper hats, running frantically into the parking lot as several shots were heard.
The incident joined a growing list of shootings in recent months that have sent people fleeing from ordinary places: a food festival, parades, places of worship and community gatherings across the country.
The suspected shooter “was nearby on the scene there, and we are working to try to ascertain his identity and the motivations behind that,” Hicks said.
Saturday’s shooting unfolded in one of Twin Falls’ busiest commercial areas, a stretch of the city’s north side filled with hotels, national retailers and restaurants that serve residents and travelers alike. Located approximately 130 miles southeast of Boise, Twin Falls is a regional hub for much of southern Idaho.
Twin Falls authorities have not provided the exact number of fatalities but earlier told CNN at least three people had been killed. It’s unclear if the shooter was included in that initial number.
Authorities believe there was one active shooter and are working “to determine now some of the other individuals who may have been involved in it,” Palmer told CNN.
Palmer advised the public to stay vigilant for more updates from police.
“I would caution people, we’re seeing a lot of misinformation on social media, so just be cautious,” he said.
The Twin Falls Police Department had urged residents to avoid the area, saying nearby roads and the Perrine Bridge, the primary crossing over the Snake River Canyon for miles, were closed.
Some of the state’s representatives in Washington, DC, said early Saturday they were thankful and praying for first responders.
“I’m grateful for the swift response of Idaho’s first responders,” said Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo on X.
By CNN
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