Daijiworld Media Network - Twin Falls, Idaho
Twin Falls, Idaho, Aug 2: A shooting at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in southern Idaho on Saturday afternoon left multiple people dead and several others injured, police said.
The shooter was among those killed, Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said during a news conference. Authorities are yet to identify the gunman or determine the motive behind the attack.
"We believe the threat to the community is over," Hicks said, adding that officials were still working to confirm the exact number of fatalities and injured victims while notifying their families.
"It was a very chaotic scene," he said.
Earlier, Twin Falls County Commissioner Brent Reinke said Sheriff Jack Johnson had informed him that five people were injured in the incident.
Witness Lane Koehn, 34, said he was near the restaurant when he saw a person carrying an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru area. He said another man armed with a pistol began firing at the shooter.
Koehn also witnessed an injured employee being dragged across the parking lot after suffering a gunshot wound to the chest. He, along with the armed bystander, remained at the scene until emergency responders arrived.
According to Koehn, the shooter fired at least three or four rounds, though it was unclear whether any specific person was targeted.
A video recorded by a passing driver showed a person dressed in black carrying a long rifle approaching a white vehicle, opening the driver's door and trunk before reaching inside. The driver left the area fearing the person might retrieve additional weapons.
Witness Haley Dodaro, 43, said she was at the restaurant with her mother when she saw people running across the road and employees rushing out of the building.
"People were running out crying and screaming. It was very scary," she said.
Another witness, Nayeli Rodriguez, 40, said she was inside the restaurant with her daughters when she heard gunshots from the kitchen area. An employee alerted customers about the shooting and asked them to take cover.
Rodriguez said an elderly man helped protect her and her daughters as they escaped the scene.
The shooting occurred in a busy shopping area, with hundreds of people present at the time, police said. Authorities are interviewing witnesses and have urged anyone with information to contact investigators.
Several people were taken to St Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center for treatment. Hospital officials said they were coordinating with law enforcement and emergency responders.
Police closed roads around the area and advised residents to avoid the location during the response operation.
The In-N-Out Burger outlet had opened only about a week earlier on July 24 as part of the company's expansion into Idaho.
Twin Falls, a city with a population of around 56,000, is located about 130 miles southeast of Boise and around 75 miles north of the Nevada border.