Watch: Mystery Man With Handgun Confronts Idaho Shooter With Rifle; Internet Hails Him As A 'Real Hero'

An unidentified man with a handgun is being called a hero online after he confronted an active shooter in Idaho. A video from a moving car shows him pulling out his gun, aiming at the shooter, firing several shots, then recoiling and moving forward while under fire. 

The shooting happened on Saturday afternoon (local time) at an In-N-Out Burger restaurant in southern Idaho. At least three people died and seven others were hurt. The shooter also died, but officials have not confirmed if he is one of the three victims. The names of those killed or injured are still unknown. City spokesperson Josh Palmer said police are working to identify them.

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

Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks told reporters that investigators are trying to learn the shooter’s identity and why he attacked.

What eyewitnesses reveal about the horrific Idaho shooting

Many people saw the armed man fight back. One eyewitness, 34-year-old Lane Koehn, was stopped at a traffic light near the scene. He first noticed a man with an AR-style rifle at the drive-thru. Then he saw the other man shooting a pistol at him. Koehn also watched someone in a restaurant uniform pull a bleeding person across the parking lot. Police soon ordered everyone to leave the area.

ALSO READ: Deadly Idaho Shooting: 3 Killed, 7 Injured After Gunfire Erupts At Fast-Food Restaurant

Online, people are praising the man who returned fire. Some call him a patriot who risked his life to protect others. Others describe him as a “good guy with a gun” who stopped a “bad guy with a gun” and forced the attacker to pull back. Many are asking who the hero is, since police have not released his name.

Police continue to investigate the shooting and the actions of the man who stepped in.

Can you carry a gun in the US without a permit?

Permissive Open Carry States: Allow individuals to carry firearms openly without a permit, as long as they can legally own a firearm. Licensed Open Carry/Not Addressed States: Open carry is legal only with a permit or is not specifically addressed in state statutes but still requires a license to carry.

(With inputs from agency)

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