An armed civilian and off-duty state trooper opened fire on a gunman at a newly opened In-N-Out restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho, driving him away from the scene in what police called heroic actions that saved lives. The shooter killed three people and wounded seven others before taking his own life Saturday afternoon.

Chaos Erupts During Lunch Hour

Twenty-four-year-old Chad Williams walked into the restaurant just before 2:30 p.m. local time and began firing. Customers screamed and dove from their seats while workers fled through the front door onto a busy street. Some patrons barricaded themselves in restrooms as the attack unfolded in one of Twin Falls’ busiest commercial districts. The restaurant had opened just one week earlier to widespread anticipation in the community located 130 miles southeast of Boise.

Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks confirmed investigators believe Williams acted alone. The 911 dispatch center received multiple calls reporting gunshots with screaming audible in the background. Video footage captured one of the armed responders crouching near bushes outside the restaurant after firing toward the shooter.

Armed Response Saves Lives

Jordan Salinas, a 35-year-old healthcare worker, identified himself to the Idaho Statesman as one of two people who returned fire. Salinas said he was stopping for lunch with his girlfriend when the shooting began, prompting an automatic response to reach for his semi-automatic pistol. Twin Falls County Sheriff Jack Johnson praised both armed responders as true community heroes whose actions diverted the shooter and prevented additional casualties.

Among the victims killed was an In-N-Out employee. Company owner and president Lynsi Snyder expressed devastation in an Instagram statement, writing that the shooter took the lives of innocent people who never saw it coming. Her post described a broken heart and burning eyes from tears shed over the tragedy.

Another Mass Shooting in America

The Idaho attack marks at least the 277th mass shooting in America this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines mass shootings as incidents with four or more victims shot. The restaurant joins a growing list of everyday spaces transformed into scenes of violence this summer, including food festivals, parades, and places of worship. Police have not released the identities of the two armed citizens who engaged the shooter during the attack.