A sniper in Idaho started a blaze and fatally shot two responding firefighters in an ambush attack before being found dead hours later, authorities said.
The discovery of the body on Canfield Mountain, a popular hiking destination outside the city of Coeur d’Alene, culminated six hours of frenzied activity that saw around 300 local, state and federal officers flock to the area. It began with the suspect, who has not yet been identified by police, lighting an early afternoon fire and then shooting the first responders who came to put it out.
A third firefighter was also shot but underwent surgery and is in stable condition, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said at a news conference.
“This was a total ambush," he told reporters. "These firefighters did not have a chance."
Authorities found the shooter's body and a nearby firearm using cell phone location data, Norris said. It's unclear how the suspect died but Norris said law enforcement responding to the shooting had exchanged gunfire with him.
As investigators search for the shooter's motive, firefighters have resumed battling the blaze, which had grown to 20 acres by late Sunday night, Norris said. Firefighters will work through the night to contain the fire before investigators conduct a more thorough search of the area. Norris said he believes more weapons will be found in the mountainous terrain.
"(Today) is a day that we will not forget in this community," Bruce Mattare, chairman of the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners, said at a news conference. "It is the day evil showed its face and we lost two outstanding professionals of the highest quality."
Comments
Post a Comment