Jordan Salinas, a civilian who confronted the mass shooter at an In-N-Out in Twin Falls, Idaho, has spoken out in an ABC News interview, recounting what he saw as he faced down 24-year-old gunman Chad Williams.
Salinas, 35, is a healthcare worker from Kimberly, Idaho, and a full-time caregiver for his wheelchair-bound brother. After witnessing a 2021 mass shooting at the Boise Towne Square mall, he began training with firearms, even posting videos on social media with captions like: “Train like your life depends on it, because one day it might.”
That day came on Saturday. Alongside an off-duty state trooper, Salinas exited his vehicle to engage Williams, drawing the gunman’s fire and keeping him occupied while police responded. Their actions are credited with preventing further casualties and ultimately forcing Williams to take his own life. Salinas told ABC that the moment he began returning fire, the mass shooter's bravado completely vanished.
🇺🇸 Jordan Salinas, from Kimberly, Idaho, posted this 2 years ago: “Train like your life depends on it because one day it might.”
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 3, 2026
He was talking about firearms training.
Yesterday at the Twin Falls In-N-Out he lived it.
He drew his suppressed FN Five-seveN, returned fire on…
“I peeked around the right-hand side of that sign closest to the road, and that’s when I saw the individual with his rifle pointed at the vehicles,” Salinas said.
“He seemed unusually comfortable aiming that rifle at those cars,” he added. “As soon as some rounds started coming at him, everything changed immediately. All that bravado he had immediately crumbled.”
Salinas has been hailed as a hero after images of him, wearing a cowboy hat and wielding a suppressed FN Five Seven, went viral in the shooting’s aftermath. Law enforcement credited both Salinas and the off-duty state trooper with saving countless lives by diverting the gunman’s fire and forcing him to flee the scene before taking his own life.
“We believe these actions drove the suspect from the scene and prevented further casualties,” Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said during a press conference, Sunday.
The attack left three people dead, including an In-N-Out employee, and injured seven others.
Since then, Salinas has posted a statement expressing gratitude to those praising his actions, saying his heart remains with the victims and their families.
The last 24 hours have been overwhelming. I want to sincerely thank my family, friends, and everyone who has reached out with messages, prayers, and support. I haven't been able to respond to everyone yet, but please know I've seen your messages, and they mean more to me than I can put into words.
In the coming days, I'll share a more complete account of what happened, to the best of my recollection, when I'm able.
For now, my heart remains with the victims, their families, and everyone affected by yesterday's tragedy. Thank you for continuing to keep them in your thoughts and prayers, and thank you all for the incredible support you've shown me and my family.
🚨 UPDATE: Twin Falls, Idaho shooting hero Jordan Salinas dropped this reaction to the nationwide praise he's receiving for his heroic actions
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 3, 2026
"The last 24 hours have been overwhelming. I want to sincerely thank my family, friends, and everyone who has reached out with messages,… pic.twitter.com/Gnd68jU94a
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