Chad Williams and the 2026 Twin Falls Mass Shooting
Overview
Chad Williams, 24, was identified by the Twin Falls Police Department as the gunman responsible for the mass shooting that struck the Canyon Park West commercial area of Twin Falls, Idaho, on Saturday, August 1, 2026. The attack began at approximately 2:29 p.m. at the newly opened In-N-Out Burger and spread into nearby streets and commercial areas. Three people were killed and seven others were wounded. Williams later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound as police closed in on him near a walking trail and canyon area. Police have said they are confident Williams acted alone. As of August 17, investigators have not announced a motive, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The August 1 Attack
According to police accounts and subsequent reporting, Williams arrived in the busy shopping district during the afternoon and began shooting around the In-N-Out drive-through. The restaurant had opened only days earlier and was crowded with employees, customers and vehicles. Authorities later said that ten people were shot at several points in the surrounding area: inside or immediately outside the restaurant, along the adjacent roadway and near a vehicle-charging area by the Twin Falls Visitor Center.
The shooting quickly became a moving attack rather than an incident confined to one part of the restaurant. Witnesses reported employees and customers running for safety as gunfire continued around the drive-through and surrounding streets. One witness near a traffic light described seeing a man carrying an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-through area. Police later said Williams approached the drive-through repeatedly and fired at people there.
Victims Killed
- Ashley Garibay, 23 — August 1, 2026 — In-N-Out Burger, Twin Falls, Idaho. Garibay was an In-N-Out employee from Stockton, California, who had traveled to Idaho as part of a team helping train employees at newly opened restaurants. She was working at the Twin Falls location when she was fatally shot. Her family said she loved her work and had hoped eventually to manage an In-N-Out restaurant of her own.
- Christopher Claunch, 59 — August 1, 2026 — In-N-Out Burger area, Twin Falls, Idaho. Claunch was a resident of Hagerman, Idaho. Friends said he had overcome alcoholism and later devoted himself to helping other people achieve sobriety while working at a recovery center. He was known to friends as “Toph.” Authorities identified him as one of the three people killed during the attack.
- Dale Schultz, 66 — August 1, 2026 — Canyon Park West commercial area, Twin Falls, Idaho. Schultz was from Salt Lake City, Utah. Family members said he and his wife, Reinette Schultz, were traveling through Idaho and were near a Tesla charging area when they were caught in the shooting. Dale Schultz died from his injuries, while his wife was also seriously wounded. He was remembered by acquaintances as a family man and gifted artist.
Known Injured Victims
- Reinette Schultz — August 1, 2026 — vehicle-charging area near the Twin Falls commercial district. Reinette Schultz, Dale Schultz's wife, was wounded during the same attack that killed her husband. Public reports said she required hospitalization and continued medical treatment afterward.
- Steven Pixley — August 1, 2026 — roadway near the In-N-Out Burger. Pixley was riding a motorcycle near the restaurant when he was struck in the arm by a bullet. His family told the Associated Press that the injury affected the use of several fingers and required continuing medical care.
- A.J. James — August 1, 2026 — In-N-Out Burger area. James, a former police officer, ran toward the sound of gunfire and attempted to confront the attacker. Police later confirmed that he was wounded during the incident.
People Who Confronted the Gunman
The attack was interrupted repeatedly by people who attempted to protect others. Police said an off-duty Idaho state trooper inside the restaurant returned fire and helped direct employees away from danger. An armed civilian also fired at Williams. Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said those interventions helped divert the gunman and may have prevented additional casualties. Former officer A.J. James also moved toward the shooting before being wounded.
Later, as Williams moved toward a walking trail where people from nearby businesses had fled, he encountered Braxton Steube. Steube said he spoke directly to Williams while holding his hands up. Police credited the encounter with delaying or distracting the shooter long enough for other people to escape. Steube said Williams fired at him but missed.
Death of Chad Williams
Police pursued Williams away from the restaurant and eventually located him near the edge of a canyon along a nearby trail. Authorities said he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Because Williams died at the scene, there was no criminal trial. Police nevertheless publicly identified him as the sole gunman and said the available evidence indicated that he acted alone.
Background and Motive
Williams had attended the College of Southern Idaho during 2022 and 2023 but did not graduate. The college confirmed that he had served in student government before being removed from his senate position in February 2023. A former student-government colleague described the removal as procedural and said Williams had simply become less engaged in the organization. Williams had also previously lived in Arizona.
Authorities have cautioned against treating speculation about Williams's background, politics or personal history as an established explanation for the shooting. Investigators said his family was cooperating with authorities, but as of mid-August 2026 police had not publicly established why he selected the restaurant or the people he attacked. The Twin Falls Police Department, Twin Falls County authorities and the FBI continued working on the investigation.
Aftermath
The shooting shocked Twin Falls and transformed a newly opened restaurant and busy shopping district into the scene of one of Idaho's most serious acts of mass violence in 2026. Authorities formally released the names of Ashley Garibay, Dale Schultz and Christopher Claunch on August 4 after identification procedures and notifications to their families were completed. Community members later gathered for a vigil to remember the dead and support the wounded.
The victims came from different places and circumstances: a young restaurant employee building a career, a man who had devoted his later life to helping people recover from addiction, and a Utah husband and father traveling through Idaho. Seven additional people survived gunshot wounds. Police emphasized that the investigation was still active and that the publicly known facts could continue to develop as investigators reconstructed the events of August 1 and searched for an explanation for the attack.
