The shooting at Idaho which left two firefighters dead on Sunday brought back focus to Travis Decker, a former soldier who has gone missing and is wanted for killing his three daughters.The gunman in Idaho ambush, however, was later found dead by the authorities.Speculation that the shooter might be Travis Decker gained traction on social media, as users voiced concerns and pointed out connections they believed linked him to the incident.“Is the shooter TRAVIS DECKER? After multiple firefighters were shot in Coeur d’Alene, locals began speculating: ‘Where is Travis Decker?’ and ‘Is this him?’ Decker, a former soldier wanted for killing his three daughters, remains missing. But as of now, there is NO evidence connecting him to the Coeur d’Alene attack,” a user asked posting a video on X.The authorities, however, believe that the gunman acted alone, and he has been found dead.
Who is Travis Decker?
Travis Decker is a 32-year-old former US army infantryman who is currently the subject of an intense manhunt in Washington state. Decker, who served in the Army from 2013 to 2021 and deployed to Afghanistan in 2014, is trained in navigation, survival, and backwoods living. Authorities say he has experience living off the grid for extended periods, which has complicated efforts to locate him in the rugged wilderness where he is believed to have fled.Decker has been wanted since June 2, after authorities found the bodies of his three young daughters — Paityn (9), Evelyn (8), and Olivia (5) — at a campground near Leavenworth. The discovery was made after Decker failed to return the girls to their mother following a scheduled visit. Despite weeks of searching remote, mountainous terrain, there has been no definitive sign of whether Decker is still alive or in the area.His personal life before the tragedy was marked by growing instability. According to court records, his ex-wife had raised concerns about his mental health, noting that he had become increasingly unstable and was often living out of his truck. She had sought restrictions on his visitation rights, citing concerns for the children’s safety. Authorities continue to search for Decker, shifting some resources to look for his possible remains, while also relying heavily on public tips. With his military background and survival skills, officials caution that Decker could still pose a danger if he is alive and evading capture.
