In-N-Out Burger Idaho Shooting: Worker Killed in Twin Falls Attack

A gunman opened fire at a fast-food restaurant in the western US state of Idaho on Saturday, killing an as yet unknown number of people, police said, adding that the suspect was also dead. The shooting at the In-N-Out Burger restaurant "resulted in fatalities," but authorities were still working to determine the number of victims, Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said, reported news agency AFP.

In-N-Out President Lynsi Snyder condemned the gunman in a statement, describing him as “a disgusting human who doesn’t value the lives of others or his own.” She said the company was devastated by the violence and would support the victims, their families, employees and customers affected by the tragedy, reports The New York Post.

Snyder said her “heart is broken” following the deadly incident at the Twin Falls restaurant. The In-N-Out Burger Idaho location had only been open for a little over a week when the shooting occurred.

“My heart is broken, my chest is heavy, my eyes burn from the tears I’ve shed,” Snyder wrote. She added that the gunman “shot both on our property and off” before ending his own life after taking the lives of an In-N-Out associate and customers.

Snyder said the victims were innocent people who “never saw it coming.”

The In-N-Out president also said the company would mourn alongside the victims’ families and pray for those affected while providing support to employees and customers who witnessed the violence.

“I love you all, and I ask you to turn to God, not in anger, but seeking comfort and strength for those who are hurting,” Snyder wrote.

“We will stand together, and we will do everything we can to learn from this situation.”

The Twin Falls shooting began at around 2 p.m. Saturday at the newly opened restaurant before spilling into the parking lot. Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks described the situation as “very chaotic” as officers responded to the scene.

According to the Associated Press, a witness reported seeing a man carrying what appeared to be an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru. Another armed man, carrying a pistol, then reportedly began firing at the gunman.

An In-N-Out employee was also seen helping a wounded colleague. The employee reportedly dragged the injured co-worker across the parking lot as others attempted to assist before paramedics arrived.

Video from a nearby vehicle appeared to show the suspected shooter moving through the parking lot with a rifle. The footage reportedly showed him pointing the weapon toward the driver’s-side window of a blue Tesla and firing twice.

The man then lowered the rifle and ran across the parking lot while still carrying the weapon. Video footage aired by local media showed what appeared to be a young man with a long gun outside the In-N-Out Burger.

Other video posted on social media showed more than a dozen people running out of the restaurant. Twin Falls is a city of about 56,000 people in southern Idaho, about 180 miles (290 kilometers) northwest of Salt Lake City.

Following the Twin Falls shooting, authorities locked down nearby businesses and closed roads around the area as investigators worked to establish exactly what happened.

St. Luke’s Magic Valley also urged people to avoid visiting the hospital unless they required emergency medical attention.

Jerome Police Chief Duane Rubink told CNN that “it appears there was one shooter who is deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot.”

Police were still working to determine the final number of people wounded and interviewing hundreds of witnesses as the investigation continued.

Authorities were also trying to identify the shooter and establish a possible motive. The FBI is assisting local law enforcement with the investigation into the Twin Falls shooting.

The deadly shooting occurred at an In-N-Out Burger Idaho location that had welcomed its first customers on July 25, meaning the restaurant had been operating for only a little over a week.

The Twin Falls, Idaho, location is part of the burger chain’s ongoing expansion into the state. The California-based company has been growing beyond its traditional West Coast footprint with new restaurants in Idaho.

The tragedy has now cast a shadow over the new Twin Falls location as employees, customers and the wider community mourn those killed.

Snyder has led the family-owned burger chain since becoming president in 2010. Her grandparents, Harry and Esther Snyder, founded In-N-Out in 1948.

In her response to the In-N-Out Burger Idaho tragedy, Snyder focused on the victims and the employees and customers who experienced the violence firsthand.

Her statement also emphasized the company’s commitment to standing together and supporting those affected as investigators continue working to understand what led to the deadly attack.

The investigation into the Twin Falls shooting remains ongoing, with authorities still working to establish the shooter’s identity, motive and the complete circumstances surrounding the attack.