An unidentified man armed with a handgun is earning praises online after he was seen braving bullets to counter an active shooter in Idaho. Already a “hero” in social media discourse, the police are yet to release his identity. A video recorded from a moving car showed him taking his gun out, pointing at the shooter, and firing multiple shots before crouching and advancing.
At least three were left dead, and seven others were injured in the shooting at an In-N-Out Burger joint in southern Idaho on Saturday afternoon.
The shooter was also dead, but a city spokesperson could not confirm if he was among the three recorded fatalities. The identity of the victims remains unknown. Officials are working on it, said spokesperson Josh Palmer.
Read: Multiple Dead, Several Injured In Shooting In US’ Idaho, Gunman Among Dead
Twin Falls Police chief Matthew Hicks told media that efforts are underway to determine the shooter’s identity and motive.
The “hero” who launched a surprise counter-offensive and caught the shooter off-guard was spotted by many passersby. One of them recorded his act from his car. Another saw him shoot the rounds.
Lane Koehn, 34, was at a traffic signal near the shooting site when he saw the shooter with an AR-style rifle at the drive-thru. Recounting the events, he said he next saw the man firing a pistol at the shooter.
I guess this is why the Second Amendment exists.
This video from the active shooter incident at the In-N-Out in Twin Falls, Idaho yesterday appears to show a civilian armed with a handgun engaging the gunman.
Witnesses reported seeing a man with an AR-style rifle come out of the… pic.twitter.com/7DATBlb98G— ChaosLensX (@ChaosLensX) August 2, 2026
Koehn, an eyewitness to the shooting episode, also saw someone wearing a restaurant uniform drag a bleeding person across the parking lot. But he had to evacuate on police orders soon.
The “hero” is also being praised online for his courage.
One branded him a “patriot” who put his life on the line for others, while another called him a “good guy with a gun” who took on a “bad guy with a gun” to save lives by making the shooter retreat.
Curiosity has also peaked over his identity. “Who is this hero?” they asked.
Some have also emerged in defence of the Second Amendment, the constitutional guarantee that allows Americans to keep weapons, a law that has often triggered controversy amid mass shootings.
