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By Khaleda Rahman, Joshua Rhett Miller, and Giulia Carbonaro
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An armed bystander has been hailed as a hero after firing at a gunman during a shooting at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in southern Idaho, with law enforcement saying it diverted the gunman and saved lives.
Jordan Salinas, 35, a healthcare worker from Kimberly, Idaho, was identified as the man who fired at the gunman by the Idaho Statesman on Sunday.
He told the newspaper that after pulling into the restaurant’s parking lot with his girlfriend on Saturday afternoon, he saw people fleeing through the doors.
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He heard the sound of gunfire and ran toward it with his semiautomatic pistol drawn. Once he located the gunman standing by the drive-thru window and firing at cars, he fired his pistol.
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Salinas told the newspaper that he felt "no fear" as he ran toward gunfire.
"There’s a task that needs to be done, and we’re the ones who need to do it," he said.
On Sunday night, he told ABC News that the gunman "seemed unusually comfortable" aiming his rifle at cars nearby, but his demeanor changed when shots were fired in his direction.
"As soon as some rounds started coming at him, everything changed immediately. All that bravado he had immediately crumbled," he told the news channel.
Witness Lane Koehn told The Associated Press that after exchanging gunfire with the suspect, Salinas remained at the scene and helped an injured In-N-Out employee until paramedics arrived.
The shooting left four people dead, including the gunman, and seven others injured. Two of the injured were treated at a hospital and released, three were listed as stable, and two were in critical condition, authorities said on Sunday.
The gunman, identified as 24-year-old Chad Williams, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
Among the four victims was an In-N-Out Burger employee, identified as 23-year-old Ashley Garibay, of Stockton, California. Garibay worked at the In-N-Out store on March Lane in Stockton, but was at the company's new location in Twin Falls, which had only opened on July 24, to train workers, her uncle Marcos told KCRA 3. Her family was notified of her death on Saturday evening.
"We are heartbroken and devastated by the loss of Ashley—a devoted daughter, sister, auntie, cousin and friend—whose life was taken from us far too soon," the family said in a statement in which they described Garibay as "an amazing, beautiful soul who loved living life*."*
In-N-Out Burger was her first job, the family said, "and she fell in love with it. She proudly traveled to open new stores, and her dream was to one day manage an In-N-Out store. She was passionate about serving Customers and left this world doing what she loved to do."
"We are grateful for the In-N-Out Associates, first responders and those nearby who rushed to Ashley’s aid to comfort her in her final moments on earth."
The family has created a GoFundMe to lay Garibay to rest "in the most beautiful way."
In-N-Out Owner Heartbroken
"My heart is broken, my chest is heavy, my eyes burn from the tears I've shed. We lost one of our beautiful Associates tonight," Lynsi Snyder, the owner and president of In-N-Out Burger, said in a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday before Garibay had been named as one of the victims.
"She 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. He shot both on our property and off, and ended his life shortly after he took the precious lives of our Associate and Customers, innocent people who never saw it coming."
Snyder added: "In-N-Out will be mourning with the families and praying for them as they tread through a very painful season. I am no stranger to loss, but this is so incredibly tough, and my heart also goes out to all of the Associates and Customers who were there during this traumatic event."
In a statement provided to Newsweek on Sunday, In-N-Out Chief Operating Officer Denny Warnick said: "We are heartbroken. Our prayers go out to our Customers, our Associates, and all of their families. We are working with the Twin Falls Police Department to assist in the on-going investigation."
Christopher Claunch, who worked at Renaissance Ranch Recovery Center in Rupert, Idaho, died in the shooting, his sister, Kimberly Castaneda told The New York Times. He had struggled with alcoholism for most of his adult life but found sobriety two years ago, she told the newspaper.
Claunch, a California native, had lived in Idaho for about 30 years, and stopped at In-N-Out every time he visited California, she said.
The Twin Falls restaurant is located in a busy shopping plaza, and authorities have said hundreds of people were in the area when the shooting unfolded.
Castaneda said that when the new location of the chain opened, her brother had told her he would wait until the hype had died down before visiting.
"You have no idea how surprised I was when I found out he was there," she said.
Terry Dudley, a taxi driver, was identified as one of the people shot, according to the car service where he worked and family members on social media.
Dudley is "fighting to recover" after being hit twice in the back while charging his Tesla, according to a GoFundMe page set up by James Palmer, a friend who works with Dudley at North Star Taxi.
"He is loyal, dependable, selfless, and the kind of person every community is better for having," Palmer wrote, adding that donations will be used to cover Dudley’s medical expenses.
At a news conference on Sunday, Twin Falls County Sheriff Jack Johnson said a bystander and an off-duty state trooper had exchanged gunfire with the gunman, forcing him to take cover.
Their identities were not immediately disclosed.
"I want to extend my deepest thanks to the off-duty trooper and the good citizen that engaged the shooter," Johnson said. "These people are true heroes in our community, and their actions diverted the shooter, and no doubt saved many lives."
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Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said: "We believe their actions helped drive the suspect away from the scene, preventing further casualties. We want to take a moment and commend the actions of the off-duty officer and the citizen, and their heroic action to stop this incident."
The National Rifle Association (NRA) also praised Salinas for his actions.
"The NRA recognizes the brave man who took action to stop a truly despicable act from going any further in Idaho," the NRA wrote on X. "Unfortunately, evil will rear its ugly head, making it crucial that good, law-abiding citizens have the means to take action when it matters most."
NRA Director of Public Affairs Justin Davis, added on X: "You know what stops a bad guy with a gun? A good guy with a gun. Bravo, armed citizen."
Investigation Into Motive Underway
At Sunday’s news conference, Hicks said detectives are working to determine Williams’ motives, and that his family was cooperating fully with law enforcement.
Hicks said investigators are confident that the gunman acted alone.
"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," he said.
"The Williams family has been notified and they are fully cooperating with law enforcement. Their hearts are also broken during this time."
Additional details about Williams' background have begun to emerge. In a statement provided to Newsweek, the College of Southern Idaho confirmed that he had been a student there.
"The College confirms that Chad Williams was a student at the College of Southern Idaho from 8/22/2022 to 12/14/2023. He did not graduate with a credential from the College," CSI President L. Dean Fisher said in the statement.
The college said it would "cooperate with appropriate law enforcement agencies, as appropriate, during their investigation."
Newsweek also reviewed Associated Students of the College of Southern Idaho student government meeting minutes from February 2023 showing that Williams served as a student senator. The minutes show the student senate voted unanimously to impeach Williams during a February 21, 2023, meeting, although they do not specify the reason for the impeachment.
Additional details on Williams, including his tenure in the student senate and whether he previously declared a major, were not immediately available Monday afternoon, a College of Southern Idaho spokesperson told Newsweek.
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The FBI is also assisting local authorities. In remarks Sunday, FBI Salt Lake City Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls said the bureau had deployed agents, intelligence personnel, evidence response teams and victim services specialists to support the Twin Falls Police Department's investigation. Bohls said the FBI had committed "the full weight of our resources" to the case and established a digital media tip line for members of the public to submit photos and videos related to the shooting.
Authorities asked potential witnesses or anyone with information to contact police.
Salinas Trained to Protect Brother
Salinas told the Statesman that he began training to use his weapon more seriously after a shooting at a mall in Boise, Idaho, in 2021.
He said gunmen went after "soft targets" and he worried about a situation where he and his wheelchair-bound brother, who he cares for full-time, could be targeted.
He said he shoots on weekends and trains in the desert, but had never pointed his gun at even an animal before Saturday’s shooting.
Salinas said his part took two or three minutes. As the gunman retreated and police officers arrived, he said he stood down and let them take over.
In a post on Facebook on Sunday, Salinas thanked those who have reached out to him with messages of support.
"In the coming days, I'll share a more complete account of what happened, to the best of my recollection, when I'm able," he wrote.
"For now, my heart remains with the victims, their families, and everyone affected by yesterday's tragedy. Thank you for continuing to keep them in your thoughts and prayers, and thank you all for the incredible support you've shown me and my family."
Newsweek has contacted Salinas for comment via a message sent on social media.
Jordan Salinas Would Have Needed Permit to Carry Gun in Other States
Salinas was legally carrying a handgun when he confronted the gunman in Twin Falls. Idaho is among the majority of U.S. states that allow most adults who can legally possess a firearm to carry a concealed handgun without first obtaining a permit, a policy often referred to as constitutional carry.
However, firearm carry laws vary significantly across the country. According to state laws compiled by gun policy researchers, a person in Salinas' position would have needed a permit to carry a concealed handgun in several states, while other states impose additional training or licensing requirements before concealed carry is allowed.
The map below illustrates how concealed-carry laws differ across the United States, highlighting states where permits are generally required, states that allow permitless concealed carry, and states with other licensing frameworks.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes and Tony Phillips
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