Off Duty Trooper And Citizen Credited With Saving Lives In Idaho Shooting

A newly opened In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, became the scene of a devastating mass shooting on Saturday afternoon when a gunman opened fire on customers and employees, killing three people and injuring seven others. As panic spread across the busy shopping plaza, two individuals stepped forward to confront the attacker, an off-duty Idaho State Police trooper and an armed citizen whose actions authorities say likely prevented an even greater loss of life.

Police have since identified the suspect as 24-year-old Chad Williams, who investigators say acted alone before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. While detectives continue working to determine what motivated the attack, officials have repeatedly pointed to the quick response of the two armed civilians as a defining moment that changed the course of the incident.

Police Say Two Armed Citizens Interrupted The Attack

Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks revealed during a Sunday news conference that the gunman was confronted by both an off-duty state trooper and an armed citizen during the shooting.

According to Hicks, investigators believe the pair returned fire, forcing Williams away from the restaurant before he could continue attacking people gathered inside and around the recently opened fast-food location.

“We believe their actions helped drive the suspect away from the scene, preventing further casualties,” Hicks said.

He also praised both individuals for responding under extraordinary circumstances.

“We want to take a moment and commend the actions of the off-duty officer and the citizen, and their heroic action to stop this incident.”

Authorities have not officially identified the off-duty trooper. While police also declined to publicly name the civilian involved, viral videos circulating online and multiple news reports have identified him as Jordan Salinas, a 35-year-old healthcare worker from nearby Kimberly, Idaho.

Police have not confirmed that identification.

Three People Were Killed And Seven Others Were Injured

The shooting unfolded shortly after 2 p.m. on Saturday at the In-N-Out Burger located on Blue Lakes Boulevard in Twin Falls, a southern Idaho city with a population of roughly 56,000 people.

Officials said three people were killed during the attack, including one employee of the restaurant. Seven others suffered gunshot injuries.

By Sunday, authorities provided an update on the victims’ conditions. Two injured people had already been treated and released from the hospital. Three remained in stable condition, while two others continued to receive treatment in critical condition.

Officials have not yet publicly released the names of those killed because family notifications were still underway.

Police also confirmed that the suspect was found dead near the restaurant after suffering what investigators determined was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Investigators believe Williams was the only shooter involved.

Investigation Continues As Authorities Search For A Motive

Although investigators have pieced together much of the sequence of events, one major question remains unanswered.

Police still do not know why the shooting occurred.

Chief Hicks said detectives continue examining evidence, interviewing witnesses and working with the suspect’s family as they attempt to establish what led Williams to carry out the attack.

“The family is cooperating fully with law enforcement,” Hicks told reporters.

The investigation has grown into a multi-agency effort involving local law enforcement, Idaho State Police and the FBI.

FBI Salt Lake City Special Agent in Charge Robert Boles said federal investigators have committed significant resources to assisting Twin Falls authorities.

“We have committed the full weight of our resources to the Twin Falls Police Department, deploying every investigative and intelligence tool at our disposal,” Boles said.

“Our evidence response teams and victim services specialists are also on the ground, working tirelessly to support both the investigation and those impacted.”

Authorities have also encouraged anyone who captured photos or videos during the shooting to submit them directly to investigators.

A Week-Old Restaurant Became The Scene Of Chaos

The In-N-Out Burger had opened only eight days earlier as part of the California-based chain’s continuing expansion into Idaho.

What should have been another busy weekend quickly turned into one of the city’s worst acts of violence.

Witnesses described confusion as customers initially struggled to understand what was happening.

Lane Koehn was waiting at a nearby traffic light when he saw a man carrying what appeared to be an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru area.

He then noticed another man armed with a handgun returning fire.

Koehn also witnessed restaurant employees attempting to save wounded coworkers during the attack.

He recalled seeing an employee drag another worker, who had been shot in the chest, across the parking lot while several people remained nearby until paramedics arrived.

Witnesses said it was difficult to determine whether the shooter was targeting specific people or simply firing at anyone within reach.

Video recorded from across the street captured portions of the incident before the person filming drove away, fearing the gunman might retrieve additional weapons from his vehicle.

Other witnesses inside the shopping center described people running in every direction as gunfire echoed through the parking lot.

Twin Falls resident Haley Dodaro had been sitting in the drive-thru with her mother when she noticed employees rushing from the building.

At first she believed there had been a fire.

Only moments later did someone directing traffic warn waiting drivers that there was an active shooter.

“So that’s when we knew there was a shooting,” Dodaro recalled. “People were running out crying and screaming. It was very scary.”

Inside the restaurant, customer Nayeli Rodriguez was waiting with her daughters when she heard shots coming from the kitchen area.

She said an employee immediately recognized the danger.

According to Rodriguez, the worker shouted that there was a shooting and instructed everyone inside to get down.

She also described how another customer tried to shield her family before they escaped.

“We were trying to get as far as we could and some angels let us in their car,” Rodriguez said.

She later realized she had left her own vehicle behind in the restaurant parking lot.

In-N-Out Owner Mourns Employee Killed In Shooting

Among those killed was an employee working during the Saturday lunch rush.

In-N-Out owner Lynsi Snyder shared an emotional statement on social media after learning one of the company’s associates had died.

“My heart is broken, my chest is heavy, my eyes burn from the tears I’ve shed. We lost one of our beautiful Associates tonight,” Snyder wrote.

“In-N-Out will be mourning with the families and praying for them as they tread through a very painful season.”

The company has not publicly identified the employee, consistent with authorities delaying the release of victims’ names while relatives are notified.

The shooting struck particularly hard because the Twin Falls restaurant had celebrated its grand opening only days earlier, welcoming hundreds of customers excited about the chain’s arrival in southern Idaho.

Instead, employees and patrons found themselves caught in one of the state’s deadliest recent acts of gun violence.

Jordan Salinas Described Acting On Years Of Preparation

Although police have not officially identified the armed citizen who exchanged gunfire with the suspect, multiple reports and widely shared videos have pointed to Jordan Salinas, a 35-year-old healthcare worker from Kimberly, Idaho.

Salinas later spoke to the Idaho Statesman about what happened after he and his girlfriend stopped at the Twin Falls In-N-Out for lunch before heading out for a horseback riding trip.

What began as an ordinary afternoon changed within seconds.

Salinas said he initially believed there had been a kitchen fire after seeing employees rushing from the building. Moments later, he heard what he described as the unmistakable sound of gunfire.

His response, he said, came almost automatically.

“I only remember my girlfriend yelling my name,” Salinas told the newspaper.

He explained that years of firearms training shaped his reaction. Following the 2021 shooting at Boise Towne Square Mall, where two people were killed, Salinas began practicing regularly at a shooting range in the desert outside Eden, Idaho.

According to his account, he relied on a simple process he had rehearsed countless times.

“Observe, orient, decide, act.”

Salinas said he had never previously aimed his firearm at another person.

“I’ve never pointed my gun at so much as an animal,” he told the Idaho Statesman.

As he exchanged gunfire with the suspect alongside the off-duty trooper, Salinas believed the attacker’s attention shifted away from people trying to escape.

“He did not like it when bullets started firing both ways,” Salinas said.

Reflecting on the moment, he added, “There’s a task that needs to be done, and we’re the ones who need to do it.”

His account closely mirrors witness statements describing how the gunman’s movements changed after being confronted.

Witnesses Believe The Intervention Gave Others Time To Escape

Several eyewitnesses described the armed response as a turning point during the shooting.

Lane Koehn, who watched the attack unfold from nearby, told reporters he believed the gunman became preoccupied with the people shooting back instead of continuing to target those fleeing the restaurant.

“The shooter was solely focused on him,” Koehn said, referring to the armed citizen. “[It] allowed us to get out.”

He recalled seeing vehicles directly in the line of fire before the confrontation began.

“The car directly ahead of me was getting shot. It gave them time to leave.”

Authorities have stopped short of reconstructing every second of the exchange, but investigators have consistently credited the off-duty trooper and armed citizen with forcing the suspect away from the crowded restaurant.

Twin Falls County Sheriff Jack Johnson echoed that assessment during Sunday’s news conference.

“I want to extend my deepest thanks to the off-duty trooper and the good citizen that engaged the shooter,” Johnson said.

“These people are true heroes in our community, and their actions diverted the shooter and no doubt saved many lives.”

Officials have not indicated whether either individual was injured during the confrontation.

Authorities Push Back Against Online Misinformation

As investigators worked to establish the facts surrounding the shooting, another challenge quickly emerged.

Police said false claims spread online identifying a different Twin Falls resident as the gunman.

Chief Matthew Hicks addressed the misinformation directly during Sunday’s briefing, stressing that the wrongly identified individual had no connection to the attack.

He urged the public not to share unverified information while the investigation continues.

Authorities have confirmed that Chad Williams was the only suspect involved and that detectives have found no evidence suggesting anyone else participated in planning or carrying out the shooting.

Investigators also continue reviewing surveillance footage, witness interviews, forensic evidence and digital material collected from the scene.

The FBI has asked members of the public who recorded photos or videos during the incident to submit them to investigators, saying even brief clips may help establish the timeline of events.

The Community Faces A Long Recovery

Beyond the criminal investigation, Twin Falls now faces the difficult task of supporting victims, families and first responders affected by the tragedy.

Several law enforcement agencies have joined the response, with officers from Meridian, Caldwell and Nampa temporarily assisting Idaho State Police in Twin Falls while local resources remain focused on the investigation.

Officials also confirmed that a separate officer-involved shooting during the emergency response is being reviewed by the Jerome Police Department under standard protocol. Authorities have released few details about that incident.

Police further clarified that another shooting reported in Twin Falls later that evening was unrelated to the attack at In-N-Out.

Meanwhile, the condition of the surviving victims remains a central concern.

As of the latest update from authorities, two injured victims had been released from hospital, three remained in stable condition and two continued to receive treatment in critical condition.

The identities of those killed have not yet been released publicly as officials continue notifying relatives.

For the families waiting for answers, the investigation remains deeply personal. Detectives continue examining evidence in hopes of determining why the attack occurred.

Questions About Motive Remain Unanswered

Nearly every major detail surrounding the attack has become clearer since Saturday afternoon.

Investigators believe Chad Williams acted alone. They know where the shooting unfolded, how it ended and who helped interrupt the violence.

The question that remains unanswered is why it happened.

Police say they are working closely with Williams’ family while reviewing evidence that could explain his actions. At this stage, officials have not identified any ideological, personal or criminal motive behind the shooting.

Until that work is complete, investigators have cautioned against speculation.

What is already clear, according to law enforcement, is that the actions of an off-duty Idaho State Police trooper and an armed citizen altered the course of the attack.

Chief Matthew Hicks, Sheriff Jack Johnson and other officials have all reached the same conclusion. By confronting the gunman as the shooting unfolded, they helped drive him away from a crowded restaurant, creating an opportunity for customers and employees to escape.

As Twin Falls mourns those who lost their lives and hopes for the recovery of those still hospitalized, investigators continue searching for the answers that may explain one of the city’s darkest days.