A gunman opened fire at and near the In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, on Saturday afternoon, August 1, 2026, killing three people and injuring seven. Police say an off-duty state trooper and an armed civilian then exchanged gunfire with him and helped push him away from the crowded area, and that he ultimately died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police have identified the shooter as 24-year-old Chad Williams and say they are confident he acted alone.
Key facts
- When: Saturday, August 1, 2026, around 2:29 p.m.
- Where: In-N-Out Burger on Blue Lakes Boulevard, Twin Falls, Idaho
- Casualties: 3 killed, 7 injured
- Shooter: Chad Williams, 24 — died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound
- Police assessment: Acted alone; no ongoing threat to the public
- Note: Restaurant had opened just a week earlier, on July 24, as the fourth In-N-Out in Idaho
Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks gave the update at a press conference Sunday afternoon, August 2, laying out what officers know so far. Police stress the numbers are still preliminary and could change as the investigation continues, but as of Sunday, two of the seven injured had been treated and released, three were in stable condition, and two remained critical.
Timeline of events
- July 24, 2026: The Twin Falls In-N-Out Burger opens as the fourth In-N-Out location in Idaho.
- August 1, 2026, ~2:29 p.m.: Officers respond to the restaurant on Blue Lakes Boulevard after reports of an active shooter.
- August 1, 2026: An off-duty state trooper and an armed civilian exchange gunfire with the shooter, who dies at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A separate, unrelated shooting incident also occurs during the wider police response; no one is hurt.
- August 2, 2026 (Sunday): Police Chief Matthew Hicks holds a press conference with an update.
Who died is still not public
Police have not released the names of the three people killed, saying they are still notifying families. In-N-Out has confirmed that one of its own employees, a woman, was among the dead — company president Lynsi Snyder said on social media that the employee had been “taking care of our most important asset — our Customers.” The company has not named her. In-N-Out’s chief operating officer, Denny Warnick, said the company was “heartbroken” and was assisting investigators.
Injured victims
One injured victim has been identified publicly, though not by police: Terry Dudley, a driver for North Star Taxi, was named by his employer and family. He was shot while charging his electric vehicle near the restaurant and was flown to a hospital in Boise.
An off-duty trooper and an armed bystander returned fire
Police say an off-duty Idaho State Police trooper and an armed civilian exchanged gunfire with Williams during the attack, and that their actions helped push him away from the crowded area and may have prevented further casualties. A witness described the gunman as appearing panicked after being confronted, though few other details about that moment have been made public. Neither person’s identity has been officially released, and names circulating online have not been confirmed by police.
What’s not known yet
Police say the motive for the shooting is still under investigation, and that Williams’ family is cooperating with detectives. No motive has been confirmed publicly.
A short time after the attack, officers were involved in a separate shooting incident during the wider police response. No one was hurt in that incident. The Jerome Police Department is investigating it independently. Police say it happened during the same law enforcement response but is a distinct event from Williams’ attack. They have not released further details about who was involved or why it happened, so readers should expect more information to come.
False claims spreading online
Police have pushed back on two claims spreading online:
- Twin Falls police said social media posts naming a man called Amer Mandzic as the shooter are false.
- A video that spread widely, appearing to show a second gunman firing outside the restaurant, was reviewed by police; a department lieutenant told CNN the man in that video is not the suspect in the shooting.
Separately, police noted that an unrelated person who happens to share the name “Chad Williams” has faced online harassment and has no connection to the attack.
If you’re searching for news on an “Idaho Falls shooting,” that appears to be confusion between two different Idaho cities — the confirmed shooting happened in Twin Falls, not Idaho Falls.
How you can help
The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) is assisting Twin Falls police and has asked the public to help. If you have photos, video, or audio from the scene, the FBI has set up an online tip portal specifically for this case — search “FBI Twin Falls shooting tips” to find it, or go through the FBI’s main tip site and reference the Twin Falls incident. Investigators are especially looking for footage that could help establish the sequence of events.
Police said Sunday there is no ongoing threat to the public.