A crazed gunman who killed at least two people after opening fire at an In-N-Out burger restaurant drive-thru in Idaho turned his rifle on himself following the rampage, police revealed.
The shooter, who has not been identified, was pronounced dead on Saturday evening after sparking chaos outside the restaurant, with several more victims raced to hospital with gunshot wounds.
A second shooter was seen firing at the suspect with a handgun, with witnesses claiming he was a heroic bystander who shot back at the gunman and helped victims get to safety.
However, following claims that the second shooter bravely took down the gunman himself, Duane Rubink, chief of the neighboring Jerome Police Department, said the suspect took his own life.
'It appears there was one shooter who is deceased from a self inflicted gunshot,' Rubink told CNN.
Footage from the scene showed the gunman armed with an AR-style rifle opening fire at the newly-opened burger franchise location, sending dozens of terrified witnesses scrambling for their lives.
Idaho Falls city spokesperson Josh Palmer said the investigation into the mass shooting is ongoing, and warned that officials expect the official number of victims who were injured 'to increase.'
Witness Lane Koehn, 34, said he saw the bystander with a handgun spring into action when the suspect began the shooting spree, saying he returned fire before rushing to the side of an In-N-Out employee who was shot to help get her to safety.
He said the employee was 'pretty bad off', and said the hero bystander - who he claimed told him he was a retired paramedic - stayed by her side until an ambulance arrived.
An active shooter who killed several people outside an In-N-Out burger restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho, turned the gun on himself after killing at least two people and injuring several more, officials say
A second man was seen firing back at the gunman with a handgun, with a witness praising the anonymous hero for confronting the suspect before helping victims get to safety
The gunman, who appeared to be a young white male, had been seen exiting a white vehicle at the restaurant drive thru, before walking through the parking lot and firing into a Tesla. Officials said Saturday evening that the gunman turned the gun on himself
Images circulating across social media appeared to show a gunman armed with a camouflaged AR-style assault rifle, wearing glasses, blue jeans, and a black T-shirt with a large logo on the chest
The shooting began at 3pm local time, with footage from the scene showing dozens of people fleeing across a roadway as a barrage of gunshots rang out.
In footage shared by Koehn to social media, the gunman was seen initially exiting a white sedan in the drive-thru and rapid firing a number of shots.
Koehn said he did not believe the gunman was targeting anyone specific, describing his shooting pattern as 'random.'
'You can tell he was panicking. He was not very calm and collected, running and slinging his rifle around firing,' he told the New York Times.
Koehn added that the bystander with the handgun's decision to return fire appeared to force the young gunman to run for cover, and he then moved to a nearby parking lot.
Separate footage showed the gunman then firing aimlessly into the windshield of a Tesla, although it is unclear if the vehicle was occupied.
Images circulating across social media appeared to show the gunman armed with a camouflaged AR-style assault rifle. The suspect appeared to be a young white male, wearing glasses, blue jeans, and a black T-shirt with a large logo on the chest.
The popular burger chain had only opened the new location in Twin Falls this week, with many saying they had been anticipating the opening for months.
Authorities say the investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said officers are 'working to try to ascertain his identity and the motivations' for the tragedy.
The gunman was seen exiting a white sedan in the drive-thru and firing off a barrage of shots, sending bystanders fleeing
After moving to a nearby parking lot from the drive-thru, a witness said the gunman 'was panicking... He was not very calm and collected, running and slinging his rifle around firing'
The gunman, who has not been identified, was seen stalking the parking lot after opening fire. He was found deceased at the scene, police confirmed
Witnesses shared footage of terrified people running for their lives
Idaho Governor Brad Little said in a statement to X: 'Idahoans, join me in keeping the Twin Falls community in your prayers as law enforcement and first responders respond to an active shooter situation near In-N-Out.
'Please avoid the area and follow directions from law enforcement as they work to keep everyone safe.'
Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador said in a statement at 6:30pm Eastern Time that authorities were still searching for the suspect or suspects. Police later said the gunman was deceased.
'Praying for everyone in Twin Falls as first responders continue searching for the suspect near In-N-Out. Twin Falls Police, Idaho State Police, and fire and paramedic crews remain on scene working to secure the area,' Labrador said.
'If you’re in the area, please listen to local authorities and stay away from In-N-Out and the surrounding streets so first responders can do their jobs.'
A huge police presence descended on the scene, including a large SWAT-style law enforcement vehicle
Twin Falls police searched for the gunman for several hours as chaos ensued
The Twin Falls Police Department introduced a lockdown in the area and closing multiple roads and bridges, and urged local residents to avoid the area
The FBI and ATF said on Saturday evening they were joining the investigation to assist, with officers from the Idaho State Police, Jerome Police Department and Buhl Police Department from surrounding areas also reportedly involved.
Nearby businesses including the Magic Valley Mall were evacuated and placed under lockdown.
