Shooter killed after opening fire at Idaho sheriff’s office, three injured

A gunman armed with multiple firearms opened fire on December 26 at the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office in Wallace, Idaho, shooting in the lobby of the building and on the street outside before being killed during a standoff with law enforcement, local authorities said. Three people were injured in the incident.

Shoshone County Sheriff William Eddy said the suspect initially fired at a pickup truck parked outside the sheriff’s office, then entered the building and opened fire inside the lobby, shooting toward the dispatch centre, according to US media.

The two people in the pickup truck, both women, were struck in the leg, while a sheriff’s deputy sustained a gunshot wound to the ear. Eddy described all three injuries as minor.

The shooting triggered a large-scale law enforcement response. According to the sheriff’s office, multiple agencies, including a SWAT team, were dispatched to the scene at approximately 2:40 p.m. Pacific Time. An officer-involved shooting followed, and the suspect was pronounced dead at 4:15 p.m. Authorities have not released any information about the gunman’s identity or motive.

Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris said early reports suggested the suspect may have gained access to the jail, which significantly escalated the law enforcement response. “This is a fairly significant event when you have a person who goes into a lobby of a sheriff’s office and starts a shootout,” Norris said.

Eddy later clarified that the suspect appeared to have remained in the lobby area and that no one inside the jail was injured.

At least eight law enforcement agencies assisted the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office during the incident. Eddy said the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and the Coeur d’Alene Police Department will lead the criminal investigation, while the Idaho State Police will investigate the officer-involved shooting.

Wallace is located about 70 miles east of Spokane, Washington.

By Tamilla Hasanova