Officials believe Williams acted alone, and investigators continue searching for answers about what motivated the deadly attack.
Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks praised the immediate response from an armed customer and an off-duty Idaho State Police trooper who engaged the shooter during the chaos.
Hicks said their actions forced Williams away from the crowded restaurant, a move authorities believe prevented the death toll from climbing even higher.
The restaurant had opened only days before the attack, making the violence all the more shocking for employees, customers, and the local community.
Investigators also confirmed that Williams’ family has been cooperating with law enforcement as detectives continue reconstructing his movements leading up to the shooting.
Several victims remain hospitalized following the attack. Officials said five of the seven wounded were still receiving treatment the following day, including two listed in critical condition. Two other victims were treated and later released.
The tragedy also struck the In-N-Out family personally.
In-N-Out President Lynsi Snyder confirmed that one of the employees killed during the shooting was a member of the restaurant staff. According to Fox News, Snyder described the employee as someone who was “taking care of our most important asset – our Customers.”
One of the civilians credited with helping stop the attack has now spoken publicly about what happened in those terrifying moments.
Jordan Salinas, a 35-year-old healthcare worker from Kimberly, Idaho, said he never imagined his years of firearms training would be put to the test in such dramatic fashion.
Salinas also serves as the full-time caregiver for his wheelchair-bound brother. Earlier that day, he and his girlfriend had spent time horseback riding before deciding to stop for lunch at the popular new restaurant.
At first, Salinas believed the commotion outside was caused by a fire or some other emergency.
Then he heard gunshots.
He was carrying a suppressed FN Five-Seven pistol in a chest-mounted holster, equipment he legally carried after years of dedicated firearms training.
According to reports, Salinas became serious about defensive firearms instruction following a shooting in 2021. Despite never having fired at an animal before, he spent years preparing for the possibility that one day he might have to defend innocent lives.
When that moment arrived, he said there was little hesitation.
Salinas explained that his mind immediately shifted into the decision-making process he had practiced repeatedly during training: observe, orient, decide, act.
Once he identified the suspect, everything happened quickly.
Fox News reported that Salinas immediately recognized the threat, concluding, “OK, this is the guy,” before taking action.
Breitbart News also reported Salinas later reflected on the exchange by saying the shooter “did not like it when bullets started firing both ways.”
Authorities have not publicly identified the off-duty Idaho State Police trooper who also exchanged gunfire with Williams during the incident.
Twin Falls County Sheriff Jack Johnson praised both men for their courage, calling Salinas and the unnamed trooper “true heroes in our community.”
The incident has once again reignited debate over the role of legally armed citizens during active shooter situations.
Supporters of concealed carry argue the events in Twin Falls demonstrate how trained civilians can respond immediately when violence erupts, often long before uniformed officers are able to arrive.
Many conservatives have pointed to previous incidents, including the 2022 Greenwood Park Mall shooting in Indiana, where legally armed civilian Elisjsha Dicken stopped a gunman within seconds, as another example of an armed citizen intervening to limit casualties.
For many Second Amendment advocates, the Twin Falls shooting will likely become another high-profile example cited in ongoing national debates over firearm policy.
While investigators continue searching for a motive behind the attack, many residents are instead focusing on the bravery displayed by ordinary individuals who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances.
As the community mourns the victims and prays for those still recovering, police continue piecing together exactly what happened inside the crowded restaurant.
What remains beyond dispute is that, according to local authorities, the rapid actions of Jordan Salinas and an off-duty Idaho State Police trooper interrupted an active shooter attack that could have claimed many more innocent lives.
