Two firefighters were fatally shot and a third is seriously injured after investigators say a lone gunman opened fire on crews responding to a brush fire on Canfield Mountain Sunday, near Coeur d鈥� Alene, Idaho.The now deceased suspect is believed to have started the fire intentionally to draw-in and target responding firefighters, officials have said.Within an hour of being deployed, firefighters reported being shot at as the blaze continued to burn.Various agencies, including the Spokane County Sheriff鈥檚 Office, Idaho State Police and Coeur d鈥橝lene Police Department, were caught in an exchange of fire for about 90 minutes, according to Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris.The two firefighters killed in the fray have been identified as Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Frank Harwood and Coeur d鈥橝lene Fire Department Battalion Chief John Morrison.The injured firefighter has been identified as Coeur d鈥橝lene Fire Department engineer Dave Tysdal, according to fire officials. He is in critical condition.鈥淭his wasn鈥檛 an event that we had trained for,鈥� said Coeur d鈥橝lene Fire Department Chief Tom Greif during a Monday news conference.鈥淲e train every day for high risk, low frequency events that are dangerous in our profession, but we never imagined that we would be ambushed responding to a wildland incident at a command post,鈥� Greif said.With nearly 70 years of firefighting experience combined, Harwood, Morrison and Tysdal have left an indelible impact on the Coeur d鈥橝lene community, fire officials said.Here鈥檚 what we know:Frank Harwood, 42A member of Kootenai County Fire and Rescue for 17 years, Harwood was married and had two children, Chief Christopher Way said.Harwood was also a former Army National Guard combat engineer, Way said.鈥淐hief Harwood was a leader in our organization. He did an amazing job. He was a shift commander and he was well respected by his shift,鈥� Way said Monday. 鈥淭his loss is felt by so many, including all of the members of his shift.鈥滼ohn Morrison, 52Morrison served with the Coeur d鈥橝lene Fire Department for more than 28 years and moved up the ranks in his department from firefighter to battalion chief, Greif said.鈥淭hese guys were hard workers,鈥� said Gabe Eckert, President of the Coeur d鈥橝lene Firefighter鈥檚 union. 鈥淭hey loved their families.鈥滶ckert shared his final memory with Morrison during Monday鈥檚 news conference, recalling a time when the pair smoked cigars during a rare lull at the fire station.鈥淲e talked about being better fathers, we talked about being better leaders, talked about being better firefighters,鈥� Eckert said.鈥淚 just want to say I am so incredibly grateful that that gets to be my last memory with him.鈥滵ave Tysdal, 47An engineer with the Coeur d鈥橝lene Fire Department, Tysdal is recovering after undergoing two surgeries and is in critical condition, according to Greif.Tysdal has been an engineer with the fire department for 23 years, Greif said.鈥淲e thank everyone for their love and support,鈥� a family statement read by Greif said.鈥淒ave is surrounded by his family, and he is able to open his eyes and the two surgeries have gone well,鈥� the statement added.
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — Two firefighters were fatally shot and a third is seriously injured after investigators say a lone gunman opened fire on crews responding to a brush fire on Canfield Mountain Sunday, near Coeur d鈥� Alene, Idaho.
The now deceased suspect is believed to have started the fire intentionally to draw-in and target responding firefighters, officials have said.
Within an hour of being deployed, firefighters reported being shot at as the blaze continued to burn.
Various agencies, including the Spokane County Sheriff鈥檚 Office, Idaho State Police and Coeur d鈥橝lene Police Department, were caught in an exchange of fire for about 90 minutes, according to Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris.
The two firefighters killed in the fray have been identified as Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Frank Harwood and Coeur d鈥橝lene Fire Department Battalion Chief John Morrison.
The injured firefighter has been identified as Coeur d鈥橝lene Fire Department engineer Dave Tysdal, according to fire officials. He is in critical condition.
鈥淭his wasn鈥檛 an event that we had trained for,鈥� said during a Monday news conference.
鈥淲e train every day for high risk, low frequency events that are dangerous in our profession, but we never imagined that we would be ambushed responding to a wildland incident at a command post,鈥� Greif said.
With nearly 70 years of firefighting experience combined, Harwood, Morrison and Tysdal have left an indelible impact on the Coeur d鈥橝lene community, fire officials said.
City of Coeur d'Alene/Kootenai County Fire & Rescue via CNN Newsource
Coeur d’Alene Fire Department engineer Dave Tysdal, left, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Frank Harwood, center, and Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Battalion Chief John Morrison.
Here鈥檚 what we know:
Frank Harwood, 42
A member of Kootenai County Fire and Rescue for 17 years, Harwood was married and had two children, Chief Christopher Way said.
Harwood was also a former Army National Guard combat engineer, Way said.
鈥淐hief Harwood was a leader in our organization. He did an amazing job. He was a shift commander and he was well respected by his shift,鈥� Way said Monday. 鈥淭his loss is felt by so many, including all of the members of his shift.鈥�
John Morrison, 52
Morrison served with the Coeur d鈥橝lene Fire Department for more than 28 years and moved up the ranks in his department from firefighter to battalion chief, Greif said.
鈥淭hese guys were hard workers,鈥� said Gabe Eckert, President of the Coeur d鈥橝lene Firefighter鈥檚 union. 鈥淭hey loved their families.鈥�
Eckert shared his final memory with Morrison during Monday鈥檚 news conference, recalling a time when the pair smoked cigars during a rare lull at the fire station.
鈥淲e talked about being better fathers, we talked about being better leaders, talked about being better firefighters,鈥� Eckert said.
鈥淚 just want to say I am so incredibly grateful that that gets to be my last memory with him.鈥�
Dave Tysdal, 47
An engineer with the Coeur d鈥橝lene Fire Department, Tysdal is recovering after undergoing two surgeries and is in critical condition, according to Greif.
Tysdal has been an engineer with the fire department for 23 years, Greif said.
鈥淲e thank everyone for their love and support,鈥� a family statement read by Greif said.
鈥淒ave is surrounded by his family, and he is able to open his eyes and the two surgeries have gone well,鈥� the statement added.
