A man accused of opening fire Saturday at an In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, has been identified as Chad Williams, 24, and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after an off-duty state trooper and an armed citizen returned fire, authorities said. The attack killed a restaurant employee and a customer and left seven other people wounded.
Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks identified Williams as the suspect during a news conference Sunday and said investigators believe he acted alone. Hicks praised the two people who responded to the shooting, saying their intervention helped prevent more casualties. «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,» he said. «We believe their actions helped drive the suspect away from the scene, preventing further casualties.»
The armed citizen was also credited with distracting Williams during the attack, an action that police said helped save lives. Video footage from the scene showed the citizen firing at the gunman. Williams was found dead near the restaurant, and authorities said they believe he acted alone.
The shooting happened Saturday, Aug. 1, at the first In-N-Out location to open in Twin Falls, a restaurant that had been in operation only since July 24. The fast-food chain had expanded into the Idaho city just over a week before the attack. City spokesperson Josh Palmer said three people died in total, including Williams. In addition to the two victims killed at the scene, seven people were wounded in the exchange.
Of the seven wounded, two have been released from the hospital and three are in stable condition, according to authorities. Two other victims remained in critical condition as of Sunday.
Chief Hicks described the shooting as one of the most «chaotic» situations his department has faced, saying first responders encountered a scene unlike anything many law enforcement officers experience in their careers. The response quickly expanded into a multi-agency investigation involving local police partners and the FBI.
FBI Salt Lake City Special Agent in Charge Robert Boles said the bureau has made all of its resources available to the Twin Falls Police Department. «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.»
To support continued patrols in the city, officers from the Meridian, Caldwell and Nampa police departments were sworn in to assist Idaho State Police. In-N-Out’s president said the company’s «heart is broken» after the deaths of its employee and a customer in the shooting. Officials described the case as still developing and said more information could be released as investigators continue their work.
