One of three people killed in a weekend shooting at an In-N-Out restaurant in Idaho was a California native, according to the New York Times.
Twin Falls authorities continued investigating Monday as they worked to determine a motive for the Saturday attack. The shooter, identified by police as 24-year-old Chad Williams, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene.
Three people died and seven others were injured when the gunman opened fire at the restaurant, which had opened about a week earlier and had drawn large crowds.
The Times identified one of the victims as Christopher Claunch, a California native whose sister lives in Rosamond, north of Lancaster.
His sister told the newspaper that Claunch worked at Renaissance Ranch Recovery Center in Rupert, Idaho, and had lived in the state for roughly 30 years.
She said Claunch always made a point to stop at In-N-Out whenever he returned to the Pacific Coast. He told his sister he planned to wait to visit the new Twin Falls location until the crowds subsided, she said.
The remaining victims have not been officially identified. In-N-Out President Lynsi Snyder confirmed on social media that an In-N-Out employee was among the dead.
“She was taking care of our most important asset – our Customers, and her life was taken by a disgusting human who doesn’t value the lives of others or his own,” Snyder wrote. “He shot both on our property and off, and ended his life shortly after he took the previous lives of our Associate and Customers, innocent people who never saw it coming.”
An In-N-Out employee from West Covina had traveled to Idaho to help train staff at the newly opened restaurant.
The 24-year-old woman ran from the scene during the shooting. Her parents said they are unhappy with the company’s response to the crisis.
West Covina woman survives deadly Idaho In-N-Out shooting while on business trip to train employees
A West Covina woman sent to Idaho to help train employees at a new In-N-Out remains traumatized after the mass shooting. Her family is working to bring her home.
“She’s like, hysterical. She’s like, ‘I’m here. I’m OK. I’m on my friend’s phone. We’re hiding next door. There’s a guy. They’re shooting,'” said stepfather Michael Ahern. “I was like, ‘Ok, are police there?’ ‘Police are there.’ ‘You need to breathe. You need to calm down. You need to take a really deep breath.’ She’s hyperventilating.”
“‘Mommy, mommy, I’m alive. I’m not hurt.’ That was it,” said the woman’s mother, Nikki Ahern.
Cellphone video captured the immediate aftermath of the shooting, showing customers and employees sprinting from the area.
Other footage shows one of two men now being called heroes.
What we know about the In-N-Out Burger shooting suspect
Idaho State Police said an off-duty state trooper and an armed civilian exchanged gunfire with the suspect, actions that likely prevented additional casualties.
“We want to take a moment and commend the actions of the off-duty officer and citizen and their heroic action to stop this incident. We believe their actions helped drive this suspect away from the scene, preventing further casualties,” Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said at a news conference.
Police said Williams, 24, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.