Idaho Sniper Ambush Kills Firefighters, Suspect Falls in Canfield Mountain Showdown
Under cobalt skies, tragedy unfurled its wings on Canfield Mountain when a singed trail of smoke became the stage for an unthinkable ambush. In a tapestry of fire and steel, a lone gunman allegedly sparked a brush fire near Coeur d’Alene on June 29, 2025—only to turn that blaze into a lethal trap for responding heroes. According to Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris during a Sunday press briefing, the suspect lured firefighters with the deliberate inferno before opening fire, fatally wounding two and critically injuring a third.
Witnesses described frantic 911 calls that crackled through dispatch centers, capturing the stunned voices of first responders as rounds tore through the morning calm. Local outlet KREM2 obtained the audio, where urgent cries for backup echoed over the crackle of radio static. Within hours, a manhunt spanning roughly 300 officers traced the suspect’s cell phone signal to a rugged patch of Canfield Mountain. As twilight draped the peaks, the sheriff’s office confirmed a fierce gun battle erupted when deputies confronted the alleged “sniper,” ending in the suspect’s death. Whether his final shot came from his own weapon or police rifles remains under investigation, Norris said.
Though the name of the shooter remains unreleased, investigators paint him as a calculated predator, weaving an arson scene to mask his intent. Firefighters, bound by duty and courage, became unwilling pawns in his murderous design. Coeur d’Alene Press reports that the two fallen firefighters were veteran first responders, celebrated in their community for bravery and sacrifice. The critically wounded firefighter was airlifted to a Spokane hospital, where surgeons continue to battle for his life.
This tragic sequence of events casts a long shadow over Idaho’s wooded soul. Social media lit up with sorrow and outrage: #CoeurdAlene mourned in blue and gold, while #IdahoStrong trended as neighbors offered prayers and financial assistance. The sheriff’s office has promised transparency, vowing ballistic tests and autopsy results to clarify the final volley.
In the poetic irony of smoke and lead, a forest fire born of malice consumed the lives of two protectors, leaving a wounded survivor and a community in grief. As investigators collect evidence—vest scraps, bullet casings, cell tower logs—their work will read like stanzas in a dark epic of human frailty and violence. A bittersweet ending, or merely the beginning? The embers cool, but the questions smolder—a tale that drifts into shadow as the page turns.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ.com, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office press conference, KREM2, Coeur d’Alene Press
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
