That employee was later confirmed among the three people killed. In-N-Out President Lynsi Snyder wrote on Instagram that her associate "was taking care of our most important asset — our Customers, and her life was taken by a disgusting human who doesn't value the lives of others or his own."
The gunman eventually fled toward the visitor center bordering the property, still firing as he ran. He was later identified as 24-year-old Chad Williams, and police confirmed he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound before officers reached him.
Police Commend the Heroic Responders for Diverting Additional Casualties
At a Sunday news conference, Hicks confirmed what witnesses like Koehn had described: an off-duty state trooper and an armed civilian both engaged Williams and returned fire during the attack, according to CBS News.
"We believe their actions drove the suspect from the scene, preventing further casualties," Hicks said.
Twin Falls County Sheriff Jack Johnson went further, crediting the pair with keeping the death toll from climbing even higher. "These people are true heroes in our community. They diverted the shooter and without a doubt saved many lives," Johnson said, according to the Idaho Statesman.
For a full day, officials declined to name either man. Then one of them decided to speak for himself.
According to police updates, the suspect was identified as Chad Williams. Before officers arrived, an off-duty state trooper and an armed citizen immediately returned gunfire toward Williams. | Source: YouTube/@livenowfox
According to police updates, the suspect was identified as Chad Williams. Before officers arrived, an off-duty state trooper and an armed citizen immediately returned gunfire toward Williams. | Source: YouTube/@livenowfox
The Mystery Protector Emerges as a Devoted Local Healthcare Worker
The civilian who fired back has been identified as Jordan Salinas, a 35-year-old healthcare worker from Kimberly, Idaho. He'd stopped at the In-N-Out for lunch with his girlfriend on their way to a weekend of horseback riding in Hagerman, expecting a quiet Saturday, not a mass shooting.
Salinas is the full-time caregiver for his wheelchair-bound brother, and that role shaped his decision to start carrying and training with a firearm. He began after the 2021 Boise Towne Square mall shooting, reasoning that a person in a wheelchair and their caregiver would make an easy target for anyone looking for what he called a "soft target."
