Idaho police respond to reports of active shooter near county courthouse

Law enforcement teams are responding to reports of an active shooter in the downtown area of Wallace, Idaho.

At least two people who were shot inside the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office have been transported to a nearby hospital, the Shoshone News-Press reports Friday, citing a local source. The suspected shooter is dead, the source said.

Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots ring out around 2:30 p.m. Police are yet to confirm the number of those shot or injured.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office told local news outlets multiple area law enforcement agencies are responding. The agency has deployed SWAT units to the area, according to Spokane, Washington’s KREM 2 News.

The Mineral County Sheriff’s Office said it is dispatching reinforcements to assist in the neighboring county and has asked people to stay away from the downtown area. Mineral County is located in northwestern Montana.

“The online reports of an active shooter at the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office in Wallace, Idaho are accurate,” Mineral County Sheriff’s Office said a Facebook post. “We are sending reinforcement to help our neighbor. Please pray for all law enforcement.”

Wallace is a small historical city, located about an hour and a half drive east of Spokane, in the Silver Valley along Interstate 90 near the Montana border.

Around 800 people live in Wallace, according to Census data.

Local news outlets report police are forming a perimeter near the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office. The Shoshone County Courthouse, sheriff’s office and county jail are all located within the same building.

Several local businesses in the downtown area report a heavy law enforcement presence in the area, according to local news outlets.

The owner of a nearby Ace Hardware said the suspected shooter fired into his building before entering the sheriff’s office, according to the Shoshone News-Press. Another witness who was inside a nearby grocery store told KREM 2 News she heard “some shots fired” in the area

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.