Family of In-N-Out worker killed in Idaho mourns “an amazing, beautiful soul"

"Heartbroken and devastated" were the words used by the family of the In-N-Out Burger employee who was killed Saturday in a mass shooting in southern Idaho. 

Big picture view:

The family of Ashley Garibay released a statement about her death in the shooting at the Twin Falls In-N-Out Burger location where she worked. In it, they described Garibay as "an amazing, beautiful soul who loved living life" and painted the picture of a woman who was driven and adventurous.

What they're saying:

"She lit up a room with her bright smile and a laugh that was contagious," the family wrote. "She was a friend to all, and no matter what difficulties she was facing, she always found a way to help others find the light in the darkness."

The family expressed their appreciation to the other In-N-Out employees, first responders, and others who were nearby and raced to help Garibay following the shooting. They also noted how much she enjoyed working at In-N-Out and would travel to help open new stores, like the Twin Falls one, which opened late last month.

"In-N-Out Burger was Ashley’s first job, and she fell in love with it," the statement continued. "She proudly traveled to open new stores, and her dream was to one day manage an In-N-Out store. She was passionate about serving Customers and left this world doing what she loved to do."

Names of other victims emerging

Law enforcement has not confirmed the names of any of the victims who died or were injured in the shooting, including Garibay. The fast-food chain’s owner, Lynsi Snyder, previously confirmed in a statement that an employee had died, but she did not identify the indivdiual. 

The Associated Press identified a second person who died in the shooting as Christopher Claunch after speaking with his sister, who declined to discuss his death further. 

Austin "A.J." Scott suffered critical injuries and faces a long road to recovery, his father wrote in a Facebook post where he indicated that his son went "toward the danger" when he heard gunfire, so he could protect others. The elder Scott told the AP that his son had been a law enforcement officer with the Twin Falls Police Department and the Idaho State Police.

A taxi driver, Terry Dudley, was shot while charging one of his company’s Teslas in a nearby parking lot. The owner of the taxi service said Dudley suffered serious injuries and needed to be flown by helicopter to the hospital for treatment. 

The Investigation Continues

Twin Falls police confirmed the 24-year-old gunman shot and killed himself. As of Monday, they were still working to determine a motive for the attack. Few details about his life are known at this time, but an initial search of court records in Idaho and Arizona, where he used to live, did not show criminal cases matching his name and birthdate.

RELATED: Idaho In-N-Out shooting leaves 3 dead: What we know about the suspected gunman

Police Chief Matthew Hicks said Sunday that investigators are confident the gunman acted alone and noted that his family is cooperating with the investigation.

What's next:

City spokesperson Josh Palmer confirmed that a vigil is planned for Tuesday evening at Twin Falls City Park.

 

U.S.