Trigger Warning: This article contains references to the alleged suicide, gun violence, and murder that some readers may find distressing.

A 24-year-old opened fire at the crowd at the newly opened In-N-Out Burger restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho. Identified as Chad Williams, he killed three people and injured seven during the violent gun attack before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to authorities. The incident occurred at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2026.

As the shooting unfolded, two brave men, an off-duty officer and an armed civilian, identified as Jordan Salinas, stepped in to distract him from shooting more people. The two returned fire, giving numerous people an opportunity to escape to safety.

According to witnesses, the return fire appeared to disrupt the shooter’s movement. Witnesses have shared footage that captured the chaos. In the video, the gunman can be seen walking around with a rifle in his hand while looking toward parked vehicles. In another video, he can be seen firing shots at car windows.

 

An eyewitness also explained how an armed man with a pistol started firing at the gunman, drawing his attention away from his possible victims. The witness told KTVB, “The last I saw the kid, he was hiding behind the In-N-Out sign or the shooter, and he’s exchanging gunfire with this, this other person with his handgun in the drive-through.”

Another man, identified as Austin, confronted the shooter but did not immediately draw his weapon to prevent law enforcement from mistaking him for the gunman. His father, Marcus James, told ABC that Austin came face to face with the shooter and ended up getting critically wounded during the encounter.

The authorities acknowledged there would have been more casualties if the two men hadn’t returned fire at the gunman. Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks told NBC News, “We believe their actions helped drive the suspect away from the scene, preventing further casualties.”

The police responded to several frantic 911 calls as the shooting unfolded. When the first responders arrived at the scene, they described it as “one of the most chaotic instances a law enforcement officer can face in their career,” according to Hicks.

Authorities, including the FBI, are investigating the incident and the motive of the shooting. Hicks further added, “At this time, we are still working to determine the full set of circumstances in this incident, including the suspect’s actions and possible motivations. The Williams family has been notified, and they are fully cooperating with law enforcement. Their hearts are also broken during this time.”

Salinas, 35, later said in an interview that he began firearm training after the 2021 Boise Mall shooting, preparing for an incident like this to save lives. He was carrying an FN Five-Seven that helped save several lives. He said, “He did not like it when bullets started firing both ways.”


Among those killed was an In-N-Out employee, Garibay, as confirmed by In-N-Out president Lynsi Snyder. Another victim has been identified as 59-year-old Christopher Clunch. So far, authorities have not revealed the names of all the victims, as they are still connecting with the families.

Netizens called both men heroes and praised them for their quick action. One X user commented, “Heroes. Both of them. They saved lives.” Another questioned, “What would motivate a person to commit such evil? What a waste of lives.” “You can’t even go get a damn hamburger now without taking your life in your hands. What a world we live in,” added a third.

A fourth asked, “What’s wrong with these kids?” One more praised the armed civilian and off-duty officer, “I’ll take a good guy with a gun any day; when you have two good guys with guns, that is even better. God bless our heroes.”

Disclaimer: The Inquisitr could not independently confirm the facts in the story and is reporting based on the information available within the public record.