Twin Falls In-N-Out Shooting. On the afternoon of August 1, 2026, a newly opened In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, became the scene of a mass shooting that killed three people and wounded seven others. The gunman died by suicide after an armed civilian and an off-duty state trooper returned fire. The restaurant had been open for only eight days.
Content warning: This report concerns a public mass shooting, firearm violence, death, and serious physical injuries.
The Afternoon
At 2:29 p.m., the Twin Falls City Communications Center began receiving multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired at the In-N-Out on Blue Lakes Boulevard North. The restaurant sat in Canyon Park West, a busy commercial corridor near the Magic Valley Mall, the Twin Falls Visitor Center, and the Perrine Bridge. Hundreds of people were in the area—customers waiting for food, employees working a Saturday shift, drivers stopped at traffic lights, families moving between stores.
Employees and customers ran from the building. Drivers abandoned cars in the parking lot and drive-through. Nearby businesses locked their doors. Within minutes, the ordinary Saturday scene had collapsed into panic, gunfire, and the sound of approaching sirens.
Inside and Outside
Nayeli Rodriguez was inside the restaurant waiting for food with her daughters when gunfire erupted from the kitchen area. An employee told customers to get down. An older man tried to shield them. When they finally escaped, strangers pulled them into a vehicle to get farther away from the scene. Rodriguez left her own car behind.
Haley Dodaro was in the drive-through with her mother when she saw workers and customers running across the road. At first, she thought the restaurant might be on fire. Then a person directing traffic shouted that there was a shooter.
Outside, Lane Koehn was stopped at a traffic light when he saw a man carrying what appeared to be an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-through. Moments later, another man—later identified as Jordan Salinas—drew a handgun and began firing at the gunman. An off-duty Idaho state trooper also returned fire.
Koehn then watched an In-N-Out employee dragging a wounded coworker across the parking lot. The injured worker had been shot in the chest and was bleeding heavily. Salinas, the coworker who had pulled her to safety, and Koehn stayed with her until paramedics arrived.
These accounts show two simultaneous experiences of the same attack: the confined terror inside the restaurant and the open violence outside. They have not yet established the precise path the gunman took or whether any victims were deliberately selected.
The Confirmed Dead
Three people were killed.
Ashley Garibay, 23, of Stockton, California, was an In-N-Out employee. She had traveled to Twin Falls specifically to train staff at the new location, which had opened on July 24. Her family described her as a devoted daughter, sister, aunt, and friend.
Christopher “Toph” Claunch, 59, of Hagerman, Idaho, had lived in the state for about thirty years. Friends said he had found sobriety two years earlier and dedicated himself to helping others in recovery.
Dale Schultz, 66, of Salt Lake City, Utah, was traveling with his wife, Reinette, who was among the wounded.
Seven other people were injured. As of the Sunday briefing, two had been treated and released, three were listed in stable condition, and two remained critically injured.
In-N-Out President Lynsi Snyder confirmed that one of the company’s associates was among those killed. Family members identified her as Ashley Garibay.
The Shooter
Police identified the gunman as Chad Williams, 24. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound near the restaurant. Investigators stated they are confident he acted alone. A motive remains under investigation.
Williams attended the College of Southern Idaho from August 2022 to December 2023 but did not graduate. He had briefly served on the student senate before being impeached for lack of engagement. Initial records checks have not revealed a criminal history matching his name and birth date. His family has been cooperating with investigators.
The Return Fire
The presence of two people firing back initially led some online observers to claim there were multiple attackers. Police have been clear that Williams acted alone.
Jordan Salinas, 35, a healthcare worker from Kimberly, and an unidentified off-duty Idaho state trooper both returned fire. Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks and County Sheriff Jack Johnson credited their actions with driving the shooter away from the restaurant and preventing further casualties. Officials described the intervention as heroic.
The return fire also created a complex scene for arriving officers, who could not immediately distinguish the attacker from those trying to stop him. After the exchange, Salinas set his weapon aside and helped care for a wounded employee—an action consistent with witness accounts of people remaining with the injured until medical personnel arrived.
The full effect of the return fire will be determined by ballistic and video analysis still underway.
The Investigation
Officers from Twin Falls were joined by Idaho State Police and personnel from surrounding communities. The Perrine Bridge was temporarily closed. The area around the restaurant remained secured while investigators processed the scene. The FBI offered assistance. The case remains under the direction of the Twin Falls Police Department.
Police repeatedly asked the public not to circulate unverified names or claims after false identifications of the shooter appeared online in the first hours.
What Remains Open
Motive has not been established. Whether the attack was targeted or indiscriminate is still under investigation. The exact sequence of movement inside and outside the restaurant, the precise timing of return fire, and the long-term medical outcomes for the critically injured continue to be examined. Forensic work on the weapons and reconstruction of the scene remain active.
Coda
At 2:29 p.m. on August 1, 2026, gunfire erupted at a crowded In-N-Out Burger that had been open for eight days.
Three people were killed: Ashley Garibay, Christopher Claunch, and Dale Schultz.
Seven others were wounded.
The shooter, Chad Williams, died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
An armed civilian and an off-duty state trooper returned fire and are credited with driving him away and preventing further casualties.
Names have replaced the first anonymous numbers. The investigation continues. The victims deserve an account built from verified evidence rather than the loudest early versions of the story.
Reporting note: This report incorporates official identifications and statements released through August 4, 2026. Motive, complete forensic findings, and long-term medical outcomes remain subject to further confirmation.
Works Cited
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where did the shooting happen?
The attack occurred at 2:29 p.m. on August 1, 2026, at an In-N-Out Burger on Blue Lakes Boulevard North in Twin Falls, Idaho, located in the Canyon Park West commercial corridor near the Magic Valley Mall and Perrine Bridge.
How many people were killed and injured?
Three people died — Ashley Garibay, 23, Christopher u0022Tophu0022 Claunch, 59, and Dale Schultz, 66 — and seven others were wounded, with two treated and released, three in stable condition, and two listed as critical as of the Sunday briefing.
Who was the shooter?
Police identified the gunman as Chad Williams, 24, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound near the restaurant; investigators say he acted alone, though a motive has not been established.
Why were two people seen firing weapons?
Jordan Salinas, 35, a healthcare worker from Kimberly, and an unidentified off-duty Idaho state trooper both returned fire at Williams, which fueled early online speculation about multiple attackers — but police have confirmed only one shooter.
Did the armed civilian and trooper save lives?
Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks and County Sheriff Jack Johnson credited Salinas and the off-duty trooper with driving the shooter away from the restaurant and preventing further casualties, calling their intervention heroic.
How long had the restaurant been open?
The Twin Falls In-N-Out had opened just eight days earlier, on July 24, 2026, making it a brand-new location at the time of the attack.
Was an In-N-Out employee among the victims?
Yes. In-N-Out President Lynsi Snyder confirmed that one of the company’s associates was killed, later identified by family as Ashley Garibay, who had travelled to Twin Falls specifically to help train the new location’s staff.
What is still unknown about the attack?
Investigators have not established a motive, the exact sequence of movement inside and outside the restaurant, the precise timing of return fire, or the long-term medical outcomes for the critically wounded, and forensic and ballistic analysis remains ongoing.
Who is leading the investigation?
The Twin Falls Police Department is directing the case with support from Idaho State Police, surrounding agencies, and the FBI, and officials have asked the public not to spread unverified names or claims after false shooter identifications circulated online early on.
- Twin Falls Police Department press conferences and statements (August 1–4, 2026), Chief Matthew Hicks. Reported across Idaho Statesman, KMVT, KTVB, and CBS News.
- Wikipedia. “2026 Twin Falls shooting.” Updated through August 4, 2026.
- Idaho Statesman. Coverage of the shooting, Jordan Salinas, and victim updates (August 2–3, 2026).
- CBS News. “Idaho In-N-Out gunman dead after killing 3, wounding 7…” and subsequent victim identification reports (August 1–4, 2026).
- Associated Press and local reporting (KMVT, Magic Valley Times-News) on victim identities, community response, and investigative updates (August 2–4, 2026).
- In-N-Out President Lynsi Snyder’s public statement confirming an employee among the dead (August 1–2, 2026).
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