American institutions are, for the most part—and with good reason—distrusted and held in contempt by the public. One notable exception has long been our firefighters, who enjoy broad support: 71% of Americans “strongly support” them, according to a 2024 YouGov poll. That’s what makes Sunday’s tragedy in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, all the more unsettling. According to The New York Times, a lone sniper ambushed a group of firefighters responding to a wildfire in a rugged mountain area, killing two of them. The fire itself was reportedly set by the shooter, suggesting the attack was premeditated—an intentional trap meant to lure and kill first responders as they bravely did their jobs.

“This was a total ambush,” Sheriff Robert Norris of Kootenai County said. “These firefighters did not have a chance.”

Forty minutes after arriving at the blaze on Canfield Mountain at 1:20 p.m., firefighters found themselves under siege. Gunshots cracked through...