Authorities in Idaho provide update on ambush shooting
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Authorities in Idaho provided an update Sunday night after two firefighters were killed while responding to a brush fire.
According to Sheriff Bob Norris with the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, there were reports of a fire "on the backside or east side of Canfield Mountain," with fire crews responded to the area.
At around 2:00 p.m. Mountain, firefighters said they were being shot on Canfield Mountain, with authorities responding to the area to aid them.
"We still have an active fire. We are managing about 17,000 square foot containment area. We are requesting other law enforcement agencies to assist us. We had a great response. We had the Spokane County Sheriff's office responded and forced Spokane police, Coeur d'Alene Police Department, the FBI, many, many agencies responded right here in Idaho, Bonner County, Shoshone County, Kellogg."
Sheriff Bob Norris, Kootenai County Sheriff's Office
Sheriff Norris said about 300 law enforcement officers were on scene and exchanged gunfire with the suspect. He later said they found a man who appeared to be dead with a weapon nearby.
"We have currently one dead shooter based on the preliminary investigation that was being conducted. Keep in mind, we have a we had a fire that was rapidly, it was approaching the body, so we had to scoop up that body, and we had to transport that body to a different location, but based on the preliminary information, we believe that is the only shooter that was on that mountain at that time. So there is no threat to the community at that at this time, based on the trajectory and based on the type of weapons that this individual had, that we could recover, we believe only the one shooter. There is no threat to the community."
Sheriff Bob Norris, Kootenai County Sheriff's Office
Norris said two firefighters, one from the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department and one from the Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, had died while another firefighter had come out of surgery.
"He is fighting for his life, but he's in stable condition," Norris shared.
Norris said they believe the suspect started the fire before adding, "We do believe that it was a ambush and it was intentional."
