While the nation continues to highlight the heroic actions of Jordan Salinas, the man who engaged the In‑N‑Out shooter in a firefight, another Idahoan is emerging as a second, equally courageous figure who ran toward the gunfire: Austin James.
James is a former Idaho law enforcement officer. He tells Gun News Now that he was sitting in the In‑N‑Out drive‑thru when gunshots erupted. Instinct took over. James jumped out of his vehicle and ordered his wife, Connie, and her friend, Jarid, both emergency‑room nurses, to stay inside and take cover.
After exiting the vehicle, James sprinted toward the gunfire. He was armed, but did not immediately draw his weapon. As he rounded the corner of the building, he suddenly came face‑to‑face with the suspect and was shot in the arm. Some reports claim the round came from a rifle, but James told GNN it was the suspect’s handgun, and that the rifle must have been retrieved later.
Wounded and bleeding, James got to cover and attempted to draw his firearm to return fire, but when he fired his gun, he realized he had no round chambered. He tried to rack the slide one‑handed with his non-dominant hand and his boot, but the gunshot wound made it nearly impossible.
That’s when Connie and Jarid quickly located James. Despite his insistence on continuing after the suspect, they told him he needed immediate medical care. Connie and Jarid applied a tourniquet, which was ineffective due to the wound being too high, so they applied direct pressure to his wound and rushed him to the hospital. Had Connie and Jarid not gotten to him and taken action to stop the bleeding, he likely would have bled to death because the round had struck a major artery.
James tells Gun News Now that the bullet shattered his humorous bone and severed his brachial artery. James says he is extremely grateful for those who donated blood because doctors told him they had to give him approximately 1 unit of blood.
James’s father has since launched a GiveSendGo fundraiser (click here to donate) to help cover medical expenses, lost income, and other needs the family now faces. To date, the fundraiser has brought in over $111,000, which the family says will be desperately needed to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and more.
James wanted to make sure that those who have donated to help the family know that they are greatly appreciated.
James’s actions, alongside those of other armed Idahoans on scene, undeniably saved lives. Their willingness to run toward danger prevented the suspect from targeting unarmed victims and helped bring the chaotic situation under control.
Note: Many people believe that James is the “off-duty officer” that the Twin Falls Police Department has talked about. He is not. James is a former law enforcement officer, but is not currently one and therefore not the off-duty officer.
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