(VIDEO) Three Killed and Several Wounded in Shooting at Idaho In-N-Out Restaurant, Police Say Gunman Is Dead

Three people were killed and at least seven others were wounded in a shooting Saturday afternoon at an In-N-Out restaurant in Twin Falls, Idaho, local authorities said, with police confirming the suspected shooter was found dead at the scene.

The shooting unfolded before 2:30 p.m. local time at the restaurant, located within a shopping center in the southern Idaho city. Social media video obtained by CBS News showed people fleeing the shopping center's parking lot as multiple gunshots could be heard, with one clip showing a person carrying what appeared to be a firearm outside the restaurant before opening the doors of a parked sedan.

Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks confirmed during a news conference Saturday night that fatalities had occurred but said he could not immediately confirm an exact death toll. Joshua Palmer, a Twin Falls city spokesperson, initially told CBS News that at least three people had been killed and two others wounded, before later telling the Associated Press that the number of people injured had risen to at least seven.

Hicks said a number of people injured in the shooting were being treated at St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center, a local hospital. The hospital posted a message to its own social media account urging the public to stay away from the facility unless facing a separate emergency. "Due to the active shooter incident occurring in Twin Falls, please avoid going to St. Luke's Magic Valley unless it is an emergency," the hospital wrote.

Hicks confirmed that the suspected gunman was dead but did not provide details on how the person died. "The suspected shooter in this incident is deceased," Hicks said. "He was nearby on the scene there, and we are working to try to ascertain his identity and the motivations behind that." As of Saturday night, authorities had not released the identity of the suspected shooter or any information about a possible motive.

Twin Falls resident Haley Dodaro, 43, described witnessing the chaos unfold while she and her mother were at the restaurant for lunch. Dodaro told the Associated Press that while the pair was waiting in the drive-thru line, they saw people running across the road and restaurant employees fleeing the building. She said she initially suspected a fire might have broken out, until a man directing traffic in a reflective vest told her there was an active shooter nearby. "So that's when we knew there was a shooting," Dodaro said in a text message to the AP. "People were running out crying and screaming. It was very scary."

Hicks said investigators were working to interview a large number of witnesses who had been in the vicinity of the restaurant at the time of the shooting. "We have literally hundreds of people that were in some way, shape or form in the area of this restaurant at the time that are being interviewed right now," Hicks said, underscoring the scale of the response and investigation underway in the shooting's immediate aftermath.

Police shut down surrounding roads and a nearby bridge during the response to the shooting and asked residents in the area to stay away while officers worked the scene. An FBI spokesperson confirmed to CBS News that bureau agents were on site assisting local authorities with the investigation.

Twin Falls is located in southern Idaho, roughly 120 miles southeast of Boise. The city, home to a population of roughly 50,000 people, is known regionally as a commercial hub for south-central Idaho.

The shooting adds to a string of mass-casualty shootings that have drawn national attention in recent months, with local and federal law enforcement continuing to investigate the circumstances and motive behind Saturday's attack. As of Saturday night, officials had not released additional details about the specific sequence of events inside or around the restaurant, nor had they confirmed the exact number of people killed beyond the initial reports of three fatalities.

Authorities said the investigation into the shooting remains active and ongoing, with police continuing to process the scene and interview witnesses well into Saturday night. No additional public updates on the identities of the victims or the suspected shooter had been released as of early Sunday morning.

Given the scale and violence of Saturday's shooting, this is a distressing story for many readers, particularly those with connections to the Twin Falls community or who may have been near the restaurant at the time. Anyone personally affected by the shooting who is experiencing distress is encouraged to reach out to local crisis or mental health resources, and Idaho residents seeking immediate support can contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.