A quiet Saturday afternoon turned into a scene of absolute chaos at an In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, leaving three people dead and seven others injured. According to authorities, the gunman, identified as 24 year old Chad Williams, opened fire with an AR style rifle before ultimately taking his own life. While the tragedy has left the community reeling, witnesses and police officials suggest that the death toll could have been significantly higher if not for the quick reactions of several brave individuals on the scene.
One such individual was Lane Koehn, who was waiting at a stoplight just outside the restaurant when bullets began striking cars near him. Koehn described seeing a panicked shooter moving erratically through the drive thru area. Amidst the terror, Koehn noticed another bystander armed with a handgun engaging the gunman. This distraction proved pivotal; Koehn believes the shootout between these two men forced the gunman to focus his attention away from innocent civilians, providing enough time for trapped drivers to flee for their lives.
Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks confirmed that this armed citizen was joined by an off duty state trooper who also returned fire against Williams. Together, their intervention likely drove the suspect away from crowds of people and prevented further casualties during a situation that felt like total anarchy to those caught in its wake. The violence extended inside the establishment as well, where Lynsi Snyder, president of In-N-Out Burger, confirmed that one of her employees was among those killed while serving customers.
The aftermath was marked by desperate attempts to save lives before emergency crews arrived. Koehn recalled witnessing an employee frantically dragging a wounded coworker across a parking lot, screaming for her to wake up while she drifted in and out of consciousness. A retired EMT happened to be nearby and stepped in to provide critical aid until paramedics could reach the site. As investigations continue into the motive behind the attack, local law enforcement agencies and the FBI are working together to piece together the final moments of a day that shattered a small town’s peace.