Mass Shootings

Twin Falls Shooting Underlines the Need for Taking Self-Defense Seriously

Armed people at the scene of the crime fired on the attacker and drove him away.

J.D. Tuccille | 8.7.2026 7:00 AM

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(Lane Koehn)

I recently wrote that more Americans than ever before are carrying firearms for protection, with about 30 percent of the population toting a gun in public at least some of the time. The reason for that growing commitment to armed self defense was underlined last Saturday when a gunman opened fire at an In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, only to be driven off by people at the spot who were willing to fight back.

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Armed Bystander Hailed as a Hero

"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," Newsweek reported. "Jordan Salinas, 35, a healthcare worker from Kimberly, Idaho, was identified as the man who fired at the gunman."

Salinas was armed with a suppressed FN Five-Seven, which might make him the only person in the country to pick that unusual setup for everyday carry—though his actions may inspire others. Salinas was joined by Austin James, a former state trooper. James was wounded when he charged the shooter and helped drive him off. Also armed, James "intentionally didn't draw his weapon because he didn't want to be mistaken as the suspect by responding law enforcement," reports........

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