Ambush Horror: 2 Firefighters Killed in Coeur d’Alene Blaze – Ongoing Updates

Canfield Mountain area near Cherry Hill Park trailhead The calm of a routine wildfire response in Coeur d Alene shattered on Sunday afternoon transforming into a tragic scene of violence and confusion At around p m firefighters were dispatched to a suspected brush fire on Canfield Mountain What they encountered half an hour later was a calculated ambush a gunman allegedly having set the blaze opened fire with a high-powered rifle In the span of hours two firefighters were killed at the scene and a third critically injured Law enforcement descended rapidly deploying around officers SWAT teams helicopters and snipers to confront the attacker Using cellphone signals government located the suspect s body near the fire with the rifle still in hand Authorities believe the suspect acted alone with no further threat to the neighboring population Shelter-in-place advisories were lifted later that evening but the emotional toll remains heavy Grief and shock ripple through local fire departments and residents alike as questions surrounding motive and motive-responsibility emerge This ambush of a kind rare even in the the majority violence-stricken areas signals a chilling escalation in threats to first responders Urgency crews accustomed to battling flames were ill-prepared for this calculated act of terror amid the smoke and chaos LATEST Gunman allegedly set fire on Canfield Mountain Coeur d Alene IMPACT firefighters killed critically injured OFFICIAL SOURCE These firefighters did not have a chance Sheriff Norris ACTION Stay alert heed shelter advisories if issued Hyperlocal Impact Precise Location Canfield Mountain area near Cherry Hill Park trailhead ZIP equivalent zone Neighborhood Connection I heard the chaos radio calls asking for backup It s unreal Jake Patterson owner of Patterson s Outdoor Gear Visual Proof CDAresident Taken at p m on Canfield Mountain access road In the wake of the shooting group members described an eerie scene smoke mingling with tactical car lights rising as civilians were ushered away Firefighters ran in like they invariably do but this was nothing they were trained for revealed Northern Lakes Fire District Chief Pat Riley who responded amid the gunfire and flame The area a popular weekend escape for hikers and families was fleetly cordoned off Families stood in silence as fire trucks processed through their sirens cut off forming a solemn procession to Spokane Bureaucrats confirm all civilians have been accounted for and though the suspect s body has been revealed investigators are scouring the scene for motive or accomplices Notably this case mirrors a disturbing precedent a similar ambush in Webster NY in where firefighters were met with deadly force during response The matter is now the focus of intense local and federal scrutiny Sole Angle WHY THIS MATTERS NOW This ambush if substantiated as arson plus sniper attack marks one of the first intentional coordinated assaults on firefighters in newest memory shaking confidence in standard response protocols and raising immediate concerns about the safety of first responders nationwide Emergency Response IMMEDIATE INFORMATION Firefighter Stress Counseling Northern Lakes FD HELP Firehouse Dr Trauma Hotline Idaho Problem Line OFFICIAL GUIDANCE If you re near Canfield Mountain please avoid the area and follow law enforcement directions Sheriff Bob Norris Kootenai County Locality Pulse VOTE Should extra armed protection be required for wildfire crews Yes NoSound off in comments functionaries monitoring feedback Update Log p m Firefighters under sniper fire published via dispatch p m Suspect located deceased fire still operational acres p m Shelter-in-place lifted suspect held to be lone shooter Stay tuned We will continue providing timely updates analysis and society commentary as the story develops Our thoughts are with the fallen heroes the injured and every first responder risking life and now safety to protect