Panic gripped the packed scene as ordinary diners scrambled for cover from the unexpected barrage of gunfire. Witnesses watched in utter disbelief as an armed citizen stepped up to prevent further loss. | Source: YouTube/@livenowfox
"As I was running I faced the shooter head on and he pointed the gun at me," she said. "I ducked behind a white car just to have some sort of coverage." She said she spotted a pistol resting on what she believed was the gunman's gun case, grabbed it, and tried to use it, but it was jammed.
Koehn was stopped at a light just outside the restaurant when he saw someone emerge from the drive-thru carrying an AR-style rifle. He watched the shooter move erratically through the parking lot while another armed customer, positioned in the drive-thru line, fired back and appeared to draw the gunman's attention away from fleeing bystanders.
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"The shooter was solely focused on him, and [it] allowed us to get out," Koehn told NBC News. "I mean, the car directly ahead of me was getting shot — it gave them time to leave." He estimated the entire ordeal lasted 10 to 15 minutes.
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Two Bystanders Are Credited With Saving Lives
Authorities say the shooting could have been far worse without the intervention of two people: an off-duty state trooper and an armed civilian, both of whom returned fire toward the gunman during the attack.
Police believe those actions helped drive the shooter away from the restaurant and prevented further casualties. Twin Falls County Sheriff Jack Johnson called the pair "true heroes in our community," crediting their actions with diverting the shooter and saving lives.
Minutes after officers arrived on scene, a separate officer-involved shooting took place, though no one was injured. The Twin Falls officer who fired is currently under internal review, Hicks said.
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
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The Gunman Is Identified
The shooter was identified as 24-year-old Chad Williams. He died from what investigators determined was a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the exchange of gunfire, according to police.
Hicks said investigators are confident Williams acted alone, and that his family is cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation. "Their hearts are also broken during this time," Hicks said of Williams' relatives.
A motive has not been released. Police also pushed back on social media posts that misidentified a different man as the shooter, calling those claims unfounded and urging the public to avoid spreading unverified information.
Separate video captured from a passing vehicle shows a man firing a gun outside the restaurant; police confirmed to CNN that individual was not the shooter, but rather someone unconnected to the attack.
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Law Enforcement Response Expands
The investigation quickly grew to involve multiple agencies beyond Twin Falls police, including the Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office, Nampa Police Department, Caldwell Police Department, Meridian Police Department, and Idaho State Police, all of which sent officers to assist with patrols in the city.
