Authorities in northern Idaho say three people, including a law enforcement officer, were injured after a shooting at the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office in the city of Wallace on Friday afternoon. The gunman was later shot and is now dead, bringing an hours-long incident to an end.
Sheriff Will Eddy detailed the sequence of events during a Friday night press conference, saying the shooting began shortly after 2:30 p.m. local time. According to Eddy, the suspect initially opened fire on the street outside the sheriff’s office building.
During that initial burst of gunfire, two women who were sitting inside a vehicle nearby were struck in the leg. Both victims suffered minor injuries and were transported for medical treatment, Eddy said.
UPDATE: 3 injured in shooting at Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office in Wallace, Idaho — 1 officer, 2 civilians; suspect opened fire inside building, now dead — press conference https://t.co/O1w3lopAe8 pic.twitter.com/HGpGZRxZMY
— Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) December 27, 2025
After firing outside, the suspect moved into the sheriff’s office itself. Once inside the building, he continued shooting, firing rounds into the dispatch center. During that exchange, an officer was injured when a bullet grazed the officer’s ear. Authorities described the injury as minor, and the officer was treated and is expected to recover.
The incident triggered a significant law enforcement response from across the region. Multiple agencies rushed to the scene as reports of an active shooter spread through Wallace, a small city of roughly 1,000 people in Idaho’s northern panhandle. Heavily armed officers surrounded the sheriff’s office, and residents were urged to stay away from the area as the situation unfolded.
For several hours, officials worked to secure the building and determine the suspect’s location and status. Earlier in the day, law enforcement sources indicated that the armed suspect had barricaded himself inside the sheriff’s office, prompting the deployment of a SWAT team. Authorities did not provide details on negotiations or tactical steps taken during that period.
Sheriff Eddy said the standoff ended at approximately 4:15 p.m., when officers confronted the suspect and fatally shot him in what he described as an officer-involved shooting.
Eddy did not specify how many officers discharged their weapons or provide details about the circumstances that led to the fatal confrontation.
The investigation into the incident has been divided among several agencies. The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and the Coeur d’Alene Police Department are handling the criminal investigation related to the suspect’s actions.
Meanwhile, the Idaho State Police has taken responsibility for investigating the officer-involved shooting, which is standard procedure in such cases.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the suspect or any information regarding a possible motive. Officials said additional details would be provided once investigators are able to notify next of kin and complete preliminary investigative steps.
Earlier on Friday, the neighboring Mineral County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged the unfolding situation in a public statement, saying it was “sending reinforcement to help our neighbor” and describing the incident as an active shooter response. That statement underscored the seriousness of the situation and the coordinated regional effort to bring it under control.
By Friday evening, officials said there was no longer any threat to the public. Law enforcement remained on scene as investigators continued to process the area and gather evidence, while community members were left shaken by the violence in the normally quiet county seat.
