Bystander Who Confronted Idaho Shooter Hailed as Hero

A bystander named Jordan Salinas is being celebrated as a “hero” in the U.S. after confronting an armed man at an Idaho mall on Saturday. At least three people were killed and several others wounded in the shooting.

The suspect, Chad Williams, 24, reportedly opened fire inside an In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, on Saturday afternoon. Williams' body was later found near the scene with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

During a press conference on Sunday, Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks praised an off-duty officer and “a citizen” who fired at the suspect. He said their actions pushed the gunman away from the scene, preventing further casualties.

What happened on Saturday

On Saturday afternoon, Williams allegedly opened fire at the In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, a city in south-central Idaho, killing at least three people, including a restaurant employee, and wounding about seven others.

According to the Idaho Statesman, the gunman shot at a car before an off-duty officer and Salinas, who was a customer at the time, confronted him. They returned fire, forcing Williams to retreat toward an open parking lot.

Chief Hicks said Williams died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and his body was found nearby. Law enforcement is investigating the motive for the attack, and the suspect's family is cooperating with authorities. Hicks also warned against the spread of misinformation, as an unrelated individual was mistakenly identified online as the attacker.

Victim information

The identities of the victims have not been released. One deceased person was identified as a restaurant employee. In-N-Out President and owner Lynsi Snyder expressed grief in a social media statement: “My heart is breaking, my chest is heavy... We lost a beautiful employee of ours tonight.”

Of the seven injured, two have been treated at the hospital and released, three are in stable condition, and two remain in critical condition. The FBI is also urging the public to share any videos or photos related to the incident with law enforcement.

Jordan Salinas, the intervening bystander

Jordan Salinas, 35, an EMT from Kimberly, Idaho, is the man who confronted the gunman. He and his girlfriend had planned to go horseback riding in Hagerman but stopped for lunch at In-N-Out Burger on Blue Lakes Boulevard in Twin Falls around 2:30 p.m. local time.

Salinas said he initially thought there was a fire in the kitchen but then heard gunshots—“pop-pop-pop.” He ran toward the sound on a “automatic” and “mechanical” reflex, only remembering his girlfriend calling his name before more shots rang out.

Salinas said he had been practicing with firearms after the 2021 shooting at Boise Towne Square mall that killed two people. He trained on weekends in the desert near Eden but had never pointed a gun at any animal before Saturday. He applied the four-step method he had practiced for years: “observe, orient, decide, act.”

“He didn't like it when the bullets went two ways,” Salinas told the Idaho Statesman, adding that he felt no fear before, during, or after the shooting. “There was a job to do, and we were the ones to do it.”

On social media, Salinas was praised, with many calling him a hero. On Facebook, Salinas wrote: “I want to thank my family, friends, and everyone who has sent messages, prayers, and support. In the coming days, I will share a more complete account of what happened. For now, my heart goes out to the victims, their families, and all those affected by yesterday's tragedy.”

The suspect

Witness Lane Koehn said Williams was armed with an AR-style rifle. He watched the gunman aim at a car ahead before moving through the drive-thru lane. Koehn described the shooter as “panicked” and moving “erratically.” He believed the armed bystander prevented the attacker from shooting more people.

“The shooter was focused on him, and that allowed us to get out... The car right in front of me was being shot at—they had time to leave,” Koehn said.