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A shelter-in-place order was lifted after the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said the suspected shooter was found dead on Canfield Mountain with a firearm nearby.
COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — Two firefighters were killed in an ambush shooting near Canfield Mountain in Coeur d’Alene on Sunday afternoon.
Coeur d’Alene police and fire crews and the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported shooting and a wildfire on Canfield Mountain around 1:30 p.m.
The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said crews with the Kootenai County Fire and Rescue responded to a wildfire at Canfield Mountain, where it was later reported that someone shot at the firefighters on the scene.
2 firefighters are confirmed dead, one from the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department and another from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue. The sheriff’s office said another firefighter from CDAFD was hospitalized.
The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said around 7:45 p.m., members of SWAT located a man dead on the mountain with a firearm nearby. The sheriff’s office said they believe the man found was the only shooter. It is also believed that the same suspect started the fire on the mountain.
“This was a total ambush. Those firefighters didn’t have a chance,” said Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris.
KCSO says the Idaho State Police are investigating whether it was law enforcement gunfire that killed the suspected shooter.
A shelter-in-place order has been lifted and the sheriff said there is no longer a threat to the community, but also noted that a wildfire is still active on Canfield Mountain and firefighters are working to contain that fire.
Residents in the area are advised to be prepared and ready to act if further orders are given.
The sheriff’s office says an active investigation is ongoing and nearly 300 enforcement members responded, including snipers deployed in helicopters.
KCEM said as of 7 p.m., Canfield Mountain has been designated as a “no-fly zone,” including a strict prohibition on drone use. KCEM says unauthorized aircraft or drones in the area pose a serious risk to firefighting and law enforcement operations.
This is a developing story. KREM 2 has a crew on the scene gathering details.