US: Mass shooting at Idaho fast-food restaurant leaves several dead

A quiet Saturday afternoon in the Idaho city of Twin Falls descended into chaos after a gunman opened fire at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant, killing multiple people and injuring several others before the violence came to an end.

Authorities confirmed that the suspected shooter was among the dead. Police have not yet released the exact number of casualties, saying families are still being notified, the Al Jazeera reported.

"It was a very chaotic scene," Twin Falls police chief Matthew Hicks told the Al Jazeera, assuring residents that investigators believe the immediate threat has passed. "We believe the threat to the community is over," he said, while cautioning that the death toll remained fluid as officers worked through the aftermath.

The shooting unfolded at the popular fast-food outlet on Saturday afternoon, turning a bustling restaurant into a scene of panic. Customers and employees scrambled for cover as gunfire rang out, while first responders rushed to secure the area and tend to the wounded.

Eyewitness Lane Koehn described the terrifying moments leading up to the attack. Stopped at a nearby traffic light, he said he saw a man armed with what appeared to be an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-through area before another individual, carrying a pistol, opened fire on him, the Al Jazeera reported.

Amid the confusion, Koehn witnessed an employee perform an act of remarkable courage, pulling a woman who had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest to safety while they waited for emergency medical teams.

"She was pretty bad off, but I don't know. I hope she made it," Koehn recalled.

City spokesperson Josh Palmer said investigators believe there was only one attacker but are continuing to examine all evidence, including the shooter's identity and whether anyone else may have played a role in the incident.

The motive behind the shooting remains unknown.

The attack sent shockwaves through the Twin Falls community, with law enforcement officers, forensic teams and emergency responders remaining at the scene for hours as they collected evidence and interviewed witnesses.

Idaho senator Mike Crapo praised the rapid response of emergency personnel, saying he was "grateful for the swift response of Idaho's first responders."

As investigators work to piece together the sequence of events, the tragedy has once again reignited concerns over gun violence in the United States, where mass shootings continue to leave communities grappling with devastating loss and unanswered questions.