Coeur d'Alene (US), Jun 30 (AP) Authorities said a suspect shot at firefighters responding to a blaze near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and the sheriff said two people were killed and police were still "taking sniper fire" on Sunday afternoon.
The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office said crews responded to a fire at Canfield Mountain around 1:30 pm (local time) and gunshots were reported about a half hour later.
Governor Brad Little said “multiple” firefighters were attacked.
“This is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters. I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more," Little said on X.
The sheriff's office in neighbouring Soshone County said on Facebook that authorities were “dealing with an active shooter situation where the shooter is still at large".
An alert by the Kootenai County Emergency Management Office asked people to avoid the area around Canfield Mountain Trailhead and Nettleton Gulch Road, about 6.5 km north of downtown Coeur d'Alene. The fire was still burning.
No additional details were provided.
Coeur d'Alene is a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington. (AP) ARI