In a sign of how broken and tragic our world can be sometimes, we’re hearing of a terrible shooting in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. A shooter reportedly ambushed first responders working to put out a brush fire.
BREAKING: Multiple firefighters shot in apparent ambush while responding to brush fire in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, local media reports; suspect at largepic.twitter.com/Yxu4Tz3POK
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 29, 2025
The reports of the shooting led to shelter-in-place orders for local residents, and they also led to the evacuation of a local gun club after someone told members that there was a sniper in the area.
Residents are now being asked to avoid the area surrounding Canfield Mountain, with Riley noting that fire crews were forced to pull back and the brush fire remains an active threat.
Kootenai County Emergency Management also urged those who are in the area to shelter in place.
Authorities from Spokane, Washington, are now heading south to provide assistance in what they described on social media as an ‘active, ongoing incident’ on East Nettleton Gulch Road.
Law enforcement agents and medical professionals are also on standby at Kootenai Health.
The number of officers and firefighters who were injured in the attack remains unclear. Local reports indicate Life Flight helicopters have been deployed to the scene.
“My immediate reaction was completely heartbroken,” Northern Lakes Fire District Chief Pat Riley said to news station KHQ. “We trained for this. You never want to see it in your own community.”
As of the most recent reports, authorities have not identified the shooter. Kootenai County has expanded its shelter-in-place order for a larger area and is advising anyone who isn’t in the area to avoid it.
This is a developing story, and we’ll have more details on it as they become available.
