Firefighters were ambushed by a sniper fire in response to the flames of the Northern Idaho Mountain community on Sunday, killing at least two people, and the governor, known as a “vicious” attack, unleashed a barrage of gunfires for hours in the attack.
The Cootenai County Sheriff’s Office said crews responded to a fire at Canfield Mountain, just north of Koal d’Arlene, around 1:30pm, and gunshots were reported about 30 minutes later.
Sheriff Bob Norris said authorities believe the two killed were firefighters. He didn’t know if anyone else had been shot or not.
“I don’t know how many suspects there are. I don’t know how many victims there are,” Norris told reporters at a 4:30pm press conference. “We are actively recruiting snipers, as we speak.”
The sheriff said that people were still out of the mountains and that others were still there, “it’s safe.”
Gov. Brad Little said “multiple” firefighters were attacked.
“This is a vicious, direct attack on our brave firefighters,” Little told Social Platform X.
Several heroic firefighters were attacked today in response to a Northern Idaho fire. This is a vicious, direct attack on our brave firefighters. While we wait for more, I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families. Teresa and I are heartbroken.
As this…
– Blood Little (@governorlittle) June 29, 2025
Norris said the sniper appears to be using a powerful rifle, hiding in the sturdy terrain. He said he instructed his agent to fire him.
“I hope someone has a clear shot and can neutralize it because they don’t show any evidence that they want to surrender,” the sheriff said.
The warning from the Cootenai County Emergency Management Office asked people to avoid the area around Canfield Mountain Trailhead and Nettleton Gulch Road, about four miles (6.5 km) north of downtown Coeur D’Alene.
The fire was still active, Norris said.
“It’s going to keep burning,” he said. “We can’t put resources in right now.”
The FBI responded to the scene with technical teams and tactical support, Deputy Director Dan Bongino said.
“It remains an aggressive and extremely dangerous scene,” he wrote in X’s post.
Coeur D’Alene is a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington. Canfield Mountain is a popular hiking and cycling area in the suburbs, covered in trees and heavy brushes and intersected on trails.
This is a developing story. Please check for more updates.
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Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press journalist Mead Gruver, Cheyenne of Wyoming and Josh Funk of Omaha, Nebraska contributed to the report.
