Idaho wildfire ambush: Two firefighters shot dead after being ‘lured' to ‘deliberate' blaze in Coeur D' Alene
The local sheriff's department in Coeur d'Alene has released a statement saying there is an ongoing standoff between law enforcement officers and the shooter, or shooters, suspected of the attack, which was confirmed in a chilling radio call between dispatch officers and the firefighters who were under attack.
'We now have two deaths. We have an unknown number of casualties. We still have civilians that are coming off of that mountain... We are actively taking sniper fire as we speak,' Sheriff Robert Norris told local news reporters.
The situation is terrifying for firefighters as the out-of-control blaze on the Kootenai County mountain range was still raging and is believed to have been started by those responsible for the attack.
Fire crews arrived on the scene and spoke to their dispatch via radio about plans to fight the fire before being ambushed and raising desperate calls for police to attend as they were 'taking fire'.
'Send law enforcement right now, there's an active shooter zone, they're shot, BC1's down, BC3's down ... Everybody's shot up here,' the firefighter screamed through the radio.
'Law enforcement, Code three now up here. We have another firefighter down, and we need law enforcement up here. We need law enforcement,' another firefighter told the radio base.
Calls went out to fire crews who were moving toward the fire not to attend and to stay away as the shooter continued on their rampage.
'They shot us with shotguns. We've got two battalion chiefs down with multiple gunshot wounds,' one fireman reported.
'I am pinned down and it is clear to me this fire was set intentionally to draw us in.
'This is an active shooter situation up here.
'I have no idea where the shooter's at or where they're going or what direction.
'I would recommend that all our fire units escape further down towards town,' the firefighter warned across radio channels.
Governor Brad Little said on X that multiple firefighters were fired upon while responding to a blaze on Sunday in Kootenai County near Coeur d'Alene..
'This is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters,' Little said.
'I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more.'
Authorities in western Idaho have urged residents to take shelter.
The sheriff's office in neighbouring Soshone County said on Facebook authorities were 'dealing with an active shooter situation where the shooter is still at large'.
An alert by the Kootenai County Emergency Management Office asked people to avoid the area around Canfield Mountain Trailhead and Nettleton Gulch Road, about 6.5 km north of downtown Coeur d'Alene.
Coeur d'Alene is a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington.
— with AAP.
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