Bystander may have saved lives in Idaho In-N-Out shooting

A witness said a man with a handgun distracted the shooter at Twin Falls’ In-N-Out Burger, a split-second interruption that may have given employees and customers time to escape.

Lane Koehn said he saw the suspect firing into traffic and through the drive-thru window. In a KTVB transcript, Koehn described the gunfire as “at random” and said the shooter appeared to fire “a couple of magazines,” reloading as he shot into vehicles.

Twin Falls police said the suspect died and there was no ongoing threat to the public. In a public-safety update, the department said the firearm used in the incident was recovered and taken into evidence. The FBI offered assistance to local law enforcement after the shooting, which unfolded in a busy commercial area in Twin Falls.

At least three people were killed and two others were wounded. CBS News said the shooting began inside the In-N-Out before 2:30 p.m. local time, and PBS and AP-based reporting said an In-N-Out employee was among the dead. NBC News said officers were responding to an active shooter incident at or near the restaurant.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene as people fled the restaurant and drive-thru area, while others sheltered in place or barricaded themselves. KMVT said two siblings in the parking lot ducked for cover and came face-to-face with the gunman. The shooting left a public, family-oriented restaurant at the center of a deadly attack in a part of town crowded with cars, shoppers and diners, and it ended only after police secured the scene and recovered the weapon.