Idaho Man Waiting for In-N-Out Killed in Mass Shooting

An Idaho man killed in the horrifying mass shooting at a newly opened In-N-Out Burger had deliberately waited for the crowds to die down before finally visiting the wildly popular restaurant, according to his devastated sister.

Christopher Claunch, 59, was among two people killed Saturday when a gunman opened fire at the In-N-Out location in Twin Falls, turning an ordinary weekend meal into a scene of terror.

Claunch, known to his family as “Toph,” died from his injuries after being caught in the gunfire, his sister Kimberly Castaneda told The New York Times.

The longtime Idaho resident had been eagerly anticipating the burger chain’s arrival. In-N-Out opened its Twin Falls restaurant on July 24, becoming the company’s fourth location in the state.

But Claunch reportedly decided not to rush into the opening-day frenzy.

He told his sister he planned to wait until the enormous crowds and excitement surrounding the restaurant had settled down.

That made the news of his death even more shocking.

“You have no idea how surprised I was when I found out he was there,” Castaneda said.

Claunch had lived in Idaho for roughly 30 years and worked at the Renaissance Ranch Recovery Center in Rupert. Whenever he traveled back to California to visit Castaneda in Rosamond, stopping at In-N-Out had become something of a tradition.

His sister remembered him as a loving “goofball” who could make people laugh without even trying.

She recalled a Fourth of July celebration when Claunch grabbed a headband decorated with tiny spinning wheels and wore it around as though nothing unusual had happened.

“My silly brother took my headband I was wearing with little tin wheels on it … and he sat with those things on like it was just no big deal,” she said.

Behind the jokes, Claunch had also endured major personal struggles.

His sister said he had battled alcoholism but had been sober for two years. He also suffered the heartbreaking loss of his first wife just three months after they were married.

Authorities had not formally released the names of the victims as of the initial report.

The second person killed was an In-N-Out employee who was working inside the restaurant when the violence erupted.

Police identified the alleged gunman as 24-year-old Chad Williams, who authorities said died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after carrying out the attack.

Seven other people were injured.

Among them was 62-year-old Terry Dudley, who was shot twice in the back while charging his Tesla near the restaurant.

Dudley’s friend James Palmer described him in an online fundraiser as a widower, father of four and deeply selfless man who consistently put others ahead of himself.

“There are very few people in this world like Terry,” Palmer wrote.

“He is the kind of man who quietly puts others before himself, who works hard, loves deeply, and never hesitates to lend a helping hand.”

Palmer called Dudley the “best employee I have ever had,” adding that his importance extended far beyond the workplace.

“He is loyal, dependable, selfless, and the kind of person every community is better for having,” Palmer said.

Another wounded victim, Steven Pixley, posted a photograph of his injury from a hospital bed.

Pixley’s cousin, Tracey Evans, said he had simply been riding his motorcycle near the restaurant when a bullet struck him.

“He was simply riding his motorcycle by the restaurant when he was struck by a bullet, becoming an innocent victim of a senseless act of violence,” Evans said.

Witness Lane Koehn, 34, said he was stopped at a traffic light near the restaurant when he saw a person carrying an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru area.

Koehn said another man armed with a pistol fired at the shooter. The gunman then allegedly fired at least three or four rounds.

Inside the restaurant, customers and employees scrambled for cover.

Nayeli Rodriguez, 40, of Burley, said she was waiting for food with her daughters when they suddenly heard gunshots coming from the kitchen area.

An employee warned everyone that a shooting was underway and ordered customers to get down.

Rodriguez said an older man attempted to shield her and her daughters during the chaos. They were reportedly among the last people to escape from the restaurant.

“We were trying to get as far as we could and some angels let us in their car,” she said. “I left my car there in the parking lot.”

In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Snyder issued an emotional statement honoring the employee who lost her life while serving customers.

Snyder said the worker had been “taking care of our most important asset — our Customers” when she was killed.

She condemned the shooter as a “disgusting human who doesn’t value the lives of others or his own.”

The bloodshed has left Twin Falls grieving and once again raised painful questions about public safety, violent crime and how quickly an everyday family outing can descend into unimaginable horror.