Idaho In-N-Out Shooting: Chad Williams Left Behind a Trail of Social Media Posts — Including One That Now Reads Differently

The investigation into the deadly Idaho In-N-Out shooting has taken an unsettling turn as internet users examine the online history of the man police identified as the gunman.

Among the posts resurfacing are two that now carry a chilling new context — though neither immediately reveals why. On August 1, 2026, a gunman opened fire at an In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls. That Saturday afternoon, the gunman killed three people and injured seven others before the violence spilled into the restaurant's parking lot.

The Twin Falls location had opened only on July 24, welcoming customers for just over a week before the shooting, according to a KMVT News Facebook post covering its grand opening.

A Normal Afternoon Ended in Chaos

Authorities said the suspect was armed with an AR-style rifle. Video recorded from a nearby vehicle appeared to show him firing toward a blue Tesla before moving across the parking lot with the weapon.

Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks later said investigators are confident the gunman acted alone. He also praised an off-duty state trooper and an armed citizen who confronted the suspect during the attack.

"We believe their actions helped drive the suspect away from the scene, preventing further casualties," Hicks said, describing the response as "very chaotic."

According to police, one In-N-Out employee dragged an injured co-worker across the parking lot while employees and bystanders rushed to help victims before paramedics arrived.

Witnesses Recall the Moments That Followed

Witness Lane Koehn told NBC News he was stopped at a traffic light outside the restaurant when he saw a man carrying an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru. He said bullets struck the vehicle in front of him as the gunman moved through the lot.

"I could tell he was trying to figure out where to go, and somebody in the drive-thru line with a handgun was shooting at him," Koehn recalled.

He described the suspect as "panicked," saying he looked around and moved "kind of erratically." Koehn believed the exchange of gunfire gave others enough time to escape.

"The shooter was solely focused on him, and [it] allowed us to get out," he told the outlet. "I mean, the car directly ahead of me was getting shot — it gave them time to leave."

Another witness, Haley Dodaro, told the Associated Press she and her mother initially thought there had been a fire after seeing people running from the restaurant.

"So that's when we knew there was a shooting. People were running out crying and screaming. It was very scary," she said.

Police later identified the suspect as 24-year-old Chad Williams, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the attack. Authorities have not announced a motive, and Hicks said Williams' family has been fully cooperative as detectives continue investigating what led to the shooting.

"Their hearts are also broken at this time," Hicks said. Police also said two injured victims have since been released from the hospital, three remain in stable condition, and two remain in critical condition.

As Investigators Dug Deeper, They Found an Online Trail

As investigators continued piecing together Williams' background, attention soon shifted to his digital footprint. According to the New York Post, Williams' X biography described him as a "former foster care youth" who participated in Boys State — a leadership program for high school students — in 2019.

The outlet also reported that he attended the College of Southern Idaho from August 2022 through December 2023 but did not graduate. During that time, he served in student government before fellow student senators voted to impeach him in February 2023 after he missed multiple meetings.

Former student government member Elijah Moseley reportedly told Idaho News 6 the impeachment was "procedural" but did not elaborate.

Williams' account largely focused on politics and current events. He frequently commented on crime, immigration, and public safety while sharing posts supporting stronger immigration enforcement and defending the First and Second Amendments.

Among the posts he re-shared was one criticizing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg over felony reductions. "Bragg downgraded 60% of felony cases last year, including violent crimes…New Yorkers don't feel safe in their own city," the post read.

He also re-shared a message thanking Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna for supporting the National Constitutional Carry Act, as well as another stating, "Free Speech is the bedrock of Democracy and must be protected at all costs."

His Final Activity Came More Than a Year Before the Shooting

While Williams' account contained dozens of posts about politics and crime, its final public activity came on July 3, 2025 — more than a year before the shooting.

His last activity appeared during a discussion about gun laws and firearm registration, according to the New York Post. During the exchange, Williams reportedly wrote, "Many crimes have been solved because of a traceable firearm. Obviously many haven't."

"This is a reason [for the government to register firearms] other than 'it's only for disarming populations' as you stated. Is it a good reason to surveil the general population? Not particularly, and another infringement." The thread marked the end of his public posting activity. His account remained inactive afterward.

Then One Older Post Began Circulating Again

Even after users discovered when Williams had last posted, another message from months earlier began drawing even greater attention. The resurfaced post, published on November 14, 2024, described an armed incident near his childhood home in Waddell, Arizona.

It read, "Last month a man pointed an AK-47 at the door of a house only streets away from my childhood home. He would have killed you or me for walking out of our front door at the wrong time over a truck he would sell for just $8,000."

Williams ended the post by noting, "Waddell, ARIZONA, a border state." Years later, after authorities identified him as the suspect in the Twin Falls shooting, the post resurfaced online and was widely shared because of its comments about random violence occurring close to where he grew up.

In-N-Out Mourns Those Affected

Following the shooting, In-N-Out owner and president Lynsi Snyder shared a public statement expressing grief over the tragedy and its impact on employees, customers, and their families. The Twin Falls restaurant was the company's 441st location.

Snyder confirmed on Instagram that one of the company's associates was among those killed during the shooting:

"She was taking care of our most important asset - our Customers, and her life was taken by a disgusting human who doesn't value the lives of others or his own. He shot both on our property and off, and ended his life shortly after he took the precious lives of our Associate and Customers, innocent people who never saw it coming," Snyder wrote.

She said the company would mourn alongside the victims' families while supporting employees and customers who witnessed the violence.

Snyder described the loss as heartbreaking, encouraged people to seek comfort and strength rather than respond with anger, and pledged that In-N-Out would stand together with those affected and "do everything we can to learn from this situation."

Police Urge the Public to Ignore False Information

As the investigation continued, police also warned the public against spreading misinformation online. Before taking questions during Sunday's press conference, Hicks addressed another name circulating on social media and stressed that the individual had no connection to the shooting.

"This information is absolutely false. This gentleman has no involvement in this incident whatsoever," Hicks said.

Police also said an active-duty service member who shares the suspect's name has faced online harassment and false accusations despite having no involvement in the case.

Support Grows for Survivors

As investigators continue gathering evidence, members of the Twin Falls community have rallied around those injured in the In-N-Out restaurant attack. North Star Taxi announced that one of its drivers, Terry Dudley, was shot twice in the back while charging his Tesla during the shooting.

"Our driver Terry Dudley was the victim of a mass shooting Saturday," the company said in a statement. "He is alive but has a very long road ahead of him."

A GoFundMe campaign organized by Dudley's friend, James Palmer, says the widowed father of four faces multiple surgeries, rehabilitation, mounting medical bills, and lost income while recovering.

The fundraiser also states that any money raised beyond Dudley's immediate needs will be shared with other victims and their families.

"Tragedy has a way of showing us both the worst and the very best of humanity. Yesterday, we witnessed unimaginable evil. Today, we have the opportunity to answer it with compassion, generosity, and love," the campaign reads.

As of publication, it had raised approximately $21,800 toward its $40,000 goal through 413 donations.