What began as a routine brush fire response in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, turned into a deadly ambush on June 30. Firefighters arrived on Canfield Mountain to battle a small fire, unaware that they were being lured into a trap. Soon after reaching the scene, they came under sniper fire from a hidden gunman.
A chilling audio recording captured one firefighter’s desperate plea for help, urgently calling for law enforcement and reporting that “everybody’s shot up here.” Two firefighters lost their lives, and a third was critically injured during the attack.
Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris later confirmed the fire had likely been intentionally set to lure in first responders. The calculated nature of the attack has stunned officials and the community, as it represents a disturbing escalation in violence against public safety personnel.
A SWAT team responded and eventually discovered a deceased man with a weapon in the vicinity. Authorities believe he was the lone gunman responsible for the ambush, though the investigation remains active.
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) confirmed that the fallen firefighters were IAFF members and called the act “heinous and unthinkable.” The loss has deeply shaken the firefighting community across the nation.
Federal agencies, including the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, are now involved in the investigation. Former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis described the scene as “almost like a battlefield,” with emergency responders pinned down and bleeding while under fire.
Governor Brad Little denounced the incident as a cowardly assault on public servants and offered his condolences to the families affected. He called on all Idahoans to pray for the victims and those still recovering from the traumatic ordeal.
Though the shelter-in-place order has been lifted, the community remains on edge. The attack has left lasting trauma and raised urgent questions about the safety of first responders who risk their lives daily—not only battling fires but now potentially walking into deadly traps.
