Wallace, Idaho — December 26, 2025
Gunfire shattered the calm of a quiet mining town Friday afternoon when a 77-year-old man walked into the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office and opened fire — leaving two civilians and one officer wounded before police killed the shooter inside the building.
For nearly two hours, Wallace held its breath.
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Timeline of Terror
2:30 PM — December 26, 2025
Residents near the sheriff’s office heard the first burst of gunfire. Many thought it was fireworks or hunting shots.
2:40 PM — December 26, 2025
911 calls flood dispatch. Mineral County Sheriff’s Office in Montana confirms an active shooter and sends officers across state lines.
Shortly After — December 26, 2025
The gunman, later identified as John Drake, 77, of Mullan, Idaho, fires on two women sitting in a pickup truck outside the building. Both are shot in the legs.
Inside the Sheriff’s Office — December 26, 2025
An officer attempting to enter the building is injured in the ear by glass fragments caused by gunfire.
2:40 PM – 4:25 PM — December 26, 2025
Multiple agencies converge: Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, SWAT units, Coeur d’Alene Police, Idaho State Police. Wallace is locked down.
4:25 PM — December 26, 2025
After a 1 hour 45 minute standoff, officers confront Drake in the lobby and fatally shoot him.
5:00 PM — December 26, 2025
Authorities declare the threat neutralized.
Evidence at the Scene
By Saturday morning, detectives marked seven visible bullet impacts on the sheriff’s office exterior.
A shattered window was boarded with cardboard.
Glass littered the steps.
Drake was carrying multiple firearms.
No explosives.
No accomplices.
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Human Impact
Mike Lighty, 67, whose apartment sits next door, described the gunshots:
“It was so loud the windows were shaking.”
Harvest Foods assistant manager Talen Caraway locked customers inside the store as gunfire echoed outside:
“It was scary, to say the least.”
For this tiny town, nothing like this had ever happened.
What’s Fact vs. Rumor
FACT: John Drake acted alone.
FACT: Three victims injured — all minor wounds.
FACT: Drake was killed by officers in the lobby.
FACT: Motive remains unknown.
RUMOR / SPECULATION:
Investigators have not confirmed any motive, manifesto, or ideological connection. Any social media claims about political extremism or personal vendettas remain unverified.
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Why This Case Haunts
You don’t expect gunfire in a sheriff’s office.
You don’t expect a 77-year-old man to become the threat.
And you don’t expect your town to become a crime scene in seconds.
But Wallace did.
Final Word
Wallace will never forget December 26, 2025.
A peaceful mountain town learned how fast terror can arrive — and how close it can come to home.
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What do YOU think drove John Drake to walk into that building with a gun?
Drop your thoughts below. Every detail matters. Every voice counts.
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