Firefighters Gunned Down by Sniper Ambush During Brush Fire

What started as a routine response to a brush fire turned into a calculated massacre on Sunday, as two Idaho firefighters were gunned down and another critically wounded in what authorities are now calling a “deliberate ambush” by a sniper using high-powered rifles.

The suspect—believed to have set the blaze himself—was later found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, with a firearm nearby.

The attack unfolded on Canfield Mountain just outside Coeur d’Alene, sending shockwaves through a community more accustomed to summer wildfires than acts of domestic terror.

“We believe this individual lit the fire to draw them in,” said Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris during a tense evening press conference. “They walked straight into a trap. This was a total ambush. These firefighters didn’t have a chance.”

After a harrowing manhunt involving more than 300 officers and federal agents, the SWAT team located the suspect’s body on the mountain. A nearby firearm was recovered. The suspect’s name has not been released.

“We tracked a cellphone ping to his location and made the call to move in,” Norris explained. “But by the time we got there, he was already dead.”

The sheriff added that advancing flames from the fire had already begun to destroy crucial evidence. “We had to scoop up that body fast. The fire was coming.”

The International Association of Fire Fighters confirmed that two of their members were killed. A third was rushed into emergency surgery and remains in stable condition.

“While battling a blaze in Coeur d’Alene, our brothers were brutally attacked,” the IAFF said in a statement. “We’re devastated. This is a dark day for all of us.”

According to Sheriff Norris, the attacker used “modern-day, high-powered sporting rifles” to unleash rapid fire on the crew. Emergency radio transmissions captured officers shouting, “We’re taking rapid fire!” and “We need backup now!”

Residents were ordered to shelter in place as bullets flew and flames spread. The fire crews had to pull back, leaving the blaze to grow.

The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI deployed tactical teams to assist. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino described the scene as “dangerous and fluid.”

“This wasn’t just an active shooter—it was a battlefield,” Bongino said.

Idaho Governor Brad Little called the ambush “a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters,” urging residents to pray for the victims and first responders.

Attorney General Pam Bondi and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem both issued statements condemning the attack. “This was evil, plain and simple,” said Noem. “We will do everything in our power to bring justice, even posthumously.”

Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador was more blunt: “These heroes put their lives on the line for us. They should never be hunted like prey.”

Local officials remain on edge. Sheriff Norris warned that the crime scene remains compromised due to the ongoing fire, and the full scope of the investigation may take days. Authorities have not confirmed if the shooter had military training or any prior criminal record.

Crews worked through the night to contain the fire, which had already spread dangerously close to homes near East Nettleton Gulch Road.

“The fire’s not done, and neither are we,” Norris said. “We will find out exactly what happened here—and why.”