Two dead after sniper ‘ambushes’ firefighters and police while responding to wildfire

The incident has been described as an ambush

One other firefighter was injured following the incident when a suspect open fired with a powerful rifle near the city of Coeur d'Alene, as per the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office.

Swat officers have since "located a deceased male" where the attack happened on Canfield Mountain after a long shot off took place with police.

Police are still waiting on official identification and say nothing is yet known about the man.

Authorities believe the suspect intentionally started the fire in order to "ambush" first responders, according to Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris.

The deceased firefighters were not immediately identified, but officials said there would be a procession in the nearby city of Spokane, Washington, which happened early today.

One was a member of the Coeur D'Alene Fire Department, while the other was a Kootenai County Fire and Rescue firefighter.

The attacker was found after a mobile phone signal revealed his location, he said.

Sheriff Norris said: "This was a total ambush. These firefighters did not have a chance."

He added that due to the quickly spreading fire, investigators had to search the scene quickly, and that the information they have is still "very, very preliminary".

"A fire was rapidly approaching that body. And we had to scoop up that body and transport that body to another location," he said.

Edward Kelly, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) union, posted on X: "While responding to a fire earlier today in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, IAFF members were ambushed in a heinous act of violence.

"Two of our brothers were killed by a sniper, and a third brother remains in surgery.

"Please keep them, their families, and law enforcement in your prayers."

The incident happened around four miles (6.5km) north of central Coeur d'Alene.

Around 56,000 live in the city of Coeur d'Alene.