Two Local Firefighters Murdered in Ambush
- Erin B.
- Jun 30
- 2 min read
Yesterday, June 29, 2025, in Coeur d'Alene, two firefighters were killed and one was critically injured in an ambush while responding to a brush fire on Canfield Mountain. The fire, believed to be intentionally set to lure first responders, was reported around 1:30 p.m. By 2:00 p.m., firefighters reported being shot at by a sniper using a high-powered rifle. The attack prompted a massive response from over 300 law enforcement officers, including local, state, and federal agencies like the FBI and ATF. A shelter-in-place order was issued for the area, and the suspect, a lone male, was found dead on the mountain with a firearm nearby around 5:00 p.m., tracked via a cell phone signal. The fire grew to about 20 acres and remained active, complicating response efforts. Sheriff Norris described the incident as a deliberate ambush, with the fallen firefighters from the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department and Kootenai County Fire and Rescue. The third first responder, also from Coeur d'Alene, was in stable condition after surgery. The shelter-in-place order was lifted by Sunday evening, but the wildfire continued to burn, and the investigation remained ongoing.
This is a tragic series of events that doesn’t happen in places like this. Our county is devastated and is wanting to help the families of those killed and support our entire first responder community.
If you would like to help here are the verified ways to contribute. Sheriff Norris has made it VERY clear that scams have already started popping up online, please do not donate to anything outside of the below ways unless you see an official press release.
Village Bakery is a drop off location for food items and/or money for food items. They have been making food packages for first responders and have a list of items they need to make that happen.
Anchored Coffee on Dalton/95 is a drop off location for prepackaged food and money donations. All proceeds go directly to support the families of the firefighters involved in the incident.
Red & Blue Foundation redbluefoundation.org is a local non-profit online donation site where all proceeds will go directly to support the families of the firefighters involved in the incident.
Please pray for all those involved in this heartbreaking situation.
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