A 24-year-old man killed himself with a gunshot wound after fatally shooting three people and wounding seven others at an In-N-Out Burger location in Twin Falls, Idaho, authorities said. The assault occurred on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at a busy shopping center on Blue Lakes Boulevard shortly past 2 in the afternoon local time.
Police Chief Matthew Hicks of Twin Falls named the shooter as Chad Williams during a Sunday news conference. Investigators believe Williams worked alone, and his family has been fully cooperative with the investigation, Hicks said. Authorities have not yet determined why the attack took place.
Williams was forced to retreat after an off-duty Idaho state trooper and an armed bystander engaged him with gunfire, police said. Jordan Salinas, a 35-year-old resident of Kimberly, Idaho, identified himself as the civilian who shot back. Salinas told the Idaho Statesman that Williams “did not like it when bullets started firing both ways.”
During a press conference Sunday, Hicks called both responders heroic and credited their intervention with saving lives. He described the scene officers encountered as among the most chaotic and confusing situations law enforcement can face. Police arrived at 2:29 p.m. after receiving reports of gunfire, with 911 dispatchers hearing screams and shots over the phone.
Victims Included Restaurant Worker
One of the three people killed worked at the In-N-Out location, which had opened July 24 as part of the California chain’s expansion into Idaho. Lynsi Snyder, president of In-N-Out, posted a statement early Sunday saying the company had lost an associate who was serving customers when the violence erupted. The identities of the dead and wounded had not been publicly released as of Sunday, with officials still working to notify relatives.
Of the seven injured, two had been discharged from the hospital by Sunday, three were listed in stable condition, and two remained critical, authorities said. Terry Dudley was among those shot; he was struck twice while charging his electric vehicle near the restaurant, according to his son, Michael Dudley, who spoke with ABC News. Terry Dudley managed to call 911 and a friend before being airlifted to a Boise hospital.
Witnesses Describe Terror and Confusion
Lane Koehn, 34, said he was stopped at a traffic light when he saw a man armed with an AR-style rifle come from the drive-thru area and another man with a pistol fire at him. Koehn witnessed an In-N-Out employee in uniform dragging an injured coworker who had been shot in the chest across the parking lot, and he stayed with her until paramedics came. Multiple rounds were fired, he said, and it was not clear if Williams singled out specific individuals.
Another bystander, Austin James, rushed toward Williams in an attempt to intervene but consciously chose not to draw his own firearm, fearing police would confuse him with the assailant, his father, Marcus James, told CBS News. Austin James sustained critical injuries during a face-to-face confrontation with Williams. Williams’ spouse and a companion, who both work as emergency room nurses, provided immediate treatment to him at the scene before he was taken to a hospital.
Braxton Stuebe, an employee at a Dick’s Sporting Goods nearby, said a crowd of terrified shoppers rushed into the store after a woman yelled about an active shooter. Stuebe and a colleague escaped through a rear exit but ran straight into Williams. Stuebe said he froze and lifted his hands as the gun was aimed at him, begging and saying he had a family and would do anything. Williams appeared to become emotional, Stuebe remembered, and ordered him to leave. Seconds later, as Williams stepped back, he fired a shot that barely missed.
Haley Dodaro, 43, of Twin Falls, was waiting in the drive-thru line with her mother when workers ran from the building and a man wearing a reflective vest shouted a warning about a shooter. People were “running out crying and screaming,” she said in a text message. Burley resident Nayeli Rodriguez, 40, was dining at the restaurant with her daughters when gunfire erupted from the kitchen area and an employee yelled for everyone to get down. An older man attempted to protect her family, and strangers ultimately pulled them into a vehicle to escape.
Video captured by a motorist across the street showed a figure in black walking toward a white vehicle while carrying a rifle, opening the driver’s door and popping the trunk before reaching inside. The person filming fled out of concern the gunman was retrieving additional weapons.
Investigation Continues
Victims were transported to St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center. The FBI established a digital tipline and asked the public to submit photos and video related to the incident. Hicks warned against spreading false information, noting that someone uninvolved in the shooting had been incorrectly identified online as the attacker. Referring to Williams’ family, the chief said their hearts were broken, too.