Firefighters Ambushed by Sniper After Responding to Brush Fire in Idaho.
What began as a routine response to a small brush fire on Canfield Mountain in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, turned into a deadly ambush on Sunday afternoon. Two firefighters were killed and another seriously injured after being shot by a sniper who appeared to have set the fire as a trap.
Around 1:30 p.m., fire crews were dispatched to the scene. Roughly 30 minutes later, gunshots rang out from the woods. In chilling radio audio, one firefighter urgently called for backup: “We need law enforcement up here immediately… everybody’s shot up here.” He added, “It’s clear the fire was set to draw us in.”
Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris later confirmed that two firefighting personnel were fatally shot. The International Association of Fire Fighters described the incident as “a heinous act of violence,” stating that the victims were targeted while responding to the fire.
Law enforcement, under active sniper fire, eventually located a deceased male on the mountain with a firearm nearby. Authorities believe he was the gunman. Investigators are working on the theory that the fire was intentionally set to lure emergency responders into a deadly trap.
Former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis called the situation “almost like a battlefield scene,” noting the horror of hearing wounded firefighters pinned down, bleeding, and in need of urgent rescue.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are assisting with the investigation. A temporary shelter-in-place order for the area has been lifted, but authorities urge continued caution. Idaho Governor Brad Little condemned the attack, calling it “a heinous assault on our brave firefighters,” and asked the public to keep the victims and their families in their prayers.
