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Published 11:29 03 Aug 2026 GMT
A horrific scene unfolded at a Twin Falls, Idaho, In-N-Out Burger on Saturday, leaving three people dead and seven others injured. Amid the chaos, authorities believe the actions of an armed bystander and an off-duty state trooper likely saved numerous lives by drawing the gunman's attention away from defenseless crowds.
The shooter, identified by police as 24-year-old Chad Williams, opened fire with an AR-style rifle in the restaurant's drive-thru before turning the gun on himself. Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks confirmed that two of the injured victims remained in critical condition on Sunday.
Lane Koehn, 34, was sitting at a nearby stoplight when the violence erupted. He watched in horror as the gunman emerged and began firing directly at vehicles, including the car immediately in front of him.
As the gunman moved closer to his vehicle, Koehn witnessed another citizen take action to halt the rampage. A bystander in the drive-thru line drew a handgun and began returning fire, forcing the shooter to shift his focus.
When asked by NBC News if the bystander was a hero, Koehn said: “Yes, I would say he definitely distracted the shooter from shooting more people. The shooter is solely focused on him. And it allowed us to get out. I mean, the car directly ahead of me was getting shot.”
Chief Hicks echoed this sentiment during a news conference, stating that both the armed citizen and an off-duty state trooper engaged the suspect. "We believe their actions helped drive the suspect away from the scene, preventing further casualties," Hicks said at a news conference, per NBC News.
The active shooter situation lasted for roughly 10 to 15 minutes, leaving the parking lot in complete disarray. Koehn managed to pull his vehicle into an adjacent lot, where he crossed paths with victims of the attack.
He went on to say: "I could see an employee trying to carry another person out; she had a gunshot wound to the chest, and he's just screaming, screaming her name, telling her to wake up, you know, wake up."
A retired EMT who happened to be in the area rushed over to assist the wounded employee until paramedics arrived. Lynsi Snyder, the president of In-N-Out Burger, later confirmed that an employee was among those killed in the attack, expressing deep grief over the tragedy.
The identities of the deceased victims have not yet been released as officials work to notify their families. Among the wounded was Terry Dudley, a taxi driver who was shot in the back and neck while charging his vehicle nearby. His son, Michael Dudley, shared that his father was intubated but showing signs of improvement.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, are assisting with the investigation.
A digital tip line has been established for community members to submit photos and videos. While the gunman's family is cooperating with the police, a definitive motive for the shooting has not yet been determined.
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