The scene unfolded rapidly at an In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, where a gunman allegedly killed three people and injured seven others.
A 35-year-old man, Jordan Salinas, is being hailed as a hero after firing at the suspected shooter, Chad Williams, 24, who died after turning his gun on himself.
Salinas said in an interview that his goal was to try to help as many people get home as possible, and he took action when he saw Williams aiming a rifle at passing vehicles.
Salinas described the moment he confronted Williams, saying, "He seemed unusually comfortable aiming that rifle at those cars. As soon as some rounds started coming at him, everything changed immediately. All that bravado he had immediately crumbled."
The actions of Salinas and an armed off-duty Idaho State Police officer gave potential shooting victims valuable time to get away and prevented any further loss of life, according to the police.
Five people remain in a hospital, with two in critical condition, and authorities believe Williams acted alone.
Williams was a student at the College of Southern Idaho in 2022 and 2023, but never graduated, and a student who knew him described him as a senator in the college's student government who was impeached in 2023.
The FBI is currently investigating the shooting, and Williams' family is cooperating with investigators.
