At least two people have been shot when a gunman opened fire inside a sheriff’s office in northern Idaho, before barricading himself inside, reports said.
The two victims were wounded by gunfire that started around 2:30pm local time at the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office in Wallace, according to Shoshone News-Press.
The law enforcement source that spoke with the outlet said there is possibly a third injured person inside the facility. The two confirmed victims were taken to the hospital, but it remains unclear how serious their injuries are.
Early reports suggest the shooter is still inside the building and has possible hostages.
The Mineral County Sheriff’s Office, which is just across the border in Montana, was the first to confirm reports of an active shooter.
The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office has said it has sent SWAT units and that multiple other police departments, including state troopers, have converged on the scene.
It is unclear who the shooter is or why the sheriff’s office was targeted. The county courthouse and the jail are in the same building.
The Idaho Transportation Department said Exit 62, which leads into and out of Wallace via I-90, has been closed.
Pictured: There is a heavy police presence outside the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office in Wallace, Idaho. Authorities have confirmed there is an active shooter situation
Pictured: A militarized vehicle outside the sheriff’s office at around 4:30pm local time
Julie Swindell-Ward has posted a series of videos to Facebook showing the heavy police presence outside the sheriff’s office.
‘There are sheriffs everywhere. Long guns out, handguns out, I’ve already heard multiple shots fired,’ she said in one video. ‘Pray for safety for those officers.’
Swindell-Ward said she was grocery shopping when she heard the shots. She quickly retreated to her car to watch from a distance.
As of 4:30pm local time, there were still local police officers and state troopers outside the courthouse, according to Swindell-Ward’s latest post.
The Daily Mail has approached authorities in Mineral County and Shoshone County. The police departments in both counties declined to share further information at this time.
As of 2024, Wallace had a population of 823. It was founded in 1884 and was named William R. Wallace, a local farmer at the time. The town boomed when silver deposits were found, which gave way to it becoming a mining colony for decades.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
