Twin Falls authorities confirmed on Saturday that three people were killed after a gunman opened fire in a commercial area of the city, a municipal spokesman said. Police Chief Matthew Hicks told reporters that the shooter was dead and that there was no longer an active threat to the community.
The incident was reported at about 2:30 p.m. local time (2030 GMT) in a high-traffic retail strip close to an In-N-Out Burger, according to city public information coordinator Josh Palmer. Palmer said the call came from the area around the restaurant, prompting a rapid law enforcement response.
Approximately one hour after the initial report, Palmer said, "it was determined that the shooter was no longer a threat." During a later press briefing Hicks indicated he did not have a precise death toll to offer at that moment. Palmer provided updated figures to Reuters, confirming that three people were dead and that at least two others had been injured.
Hicks confirmed that the shooter was among those killed. Authorities are working to identify the gunman and to establish the motive for the attack, the chief said. The police department closed roads in the vicinity and restricted access to a nearby bridge while officers conducted their response and investigation, the department said in a Facebook post.
The shooting took place in Twin Falls, a city of about 47,400 people situated in central Idaho's Magic Valley region. Local officials have not released further details about the victims, the identity of the shooter, or the status of those injured. Investigators continue on-scene work to piece together the circumstances of the attack and to notify next of kin where appropriate.
Context and next steps
Police statements indicate the scene was secured within an hour of the initial report, but several procedural steps remain. Officials have said they will pursue identification of the shooter and seek to understand the motive. Road and bridge closures implemented by authorities disrupted normal traffic patterns in the immediate area while emergency services operated.