The gunman suspected of ambushing firefighters in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on Sunday has been identified as 20-year-old Wess Roley — a man who once aspired to join the fire service, authorities revealed.
Roley was found dead after an hourslong manhunt on Canfield Mountain, where members of a SWAT team discovered his body alongside a shotgun. Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris said Roley appeared to have died by suicide.
Two firefighters — Battalion Chief Frank Harwood, 42, of Kootenai County Fire & Rescue, and Battalion Chief John Morrison, 52, of the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department — were killed in the attack. A third firefighter, Dave Tysdal, 47, was shot and wounded but is recovering at Kootenai Health Hospital. All three had decades of service.
“This was a total ambush,” Norris said. “These firefighters didn’t have a chance.”
Investigation Unfolding
Authorities believe Roley deliberately started a small brush fire on Canfield Mountain using a flint starter, then waited for first responders to arrive before opening fire. Investigators are looking into the possibility that he fired from a tree — Roley grew up in a family of arborists and had experience climbing.
Although the motive remains unclear, officials noted that Roley previously expressed interest in becoming a firefighter. “We don’t know if there’s a connection between that desire and this attack,” Norris said.
Roley had five prior interactions with law enforcement, including welfare checks and a trespassing complaint, but none involved serious criminal conduct.
He was reportedly living out of his vehicle, which deputies pushed off the side of a mountain during the search to prevent a possible escape. That vehicle has yet to be searched in full, but is expected to be a key part of the investigation.
Family and Community React
Roley’s family released a statement through an attorney expressing heartbreak and confusion over the attack.
“We offer our most heartfelt condolences to the families of those whose lives were taken and to the community of Coeur d’Alene,” the statement read. “We do not understand why this happened or how this came about. Our hearts and spirits are broken for the lost and hurting — and for our own loss as well.”
Authorities shared an image from Roley’s social media during a press conference and confirmed that digital forensics teams are reviewing his online presence.
Timeline of the Attack
The initial call about a brush fire came in at 1:21 p.m. Sunday. By 2 p.m., responding firefighters reported that they were under fire. Law enforcement swarmed the area, and over 300 officers were involved in the manhunt. Gunfire was exchanged between officers and the suspect.
By 6:30 p.m., tactical teams were instructed to neutralize the suspect, and by 7:40 p.m., authorities confirmed Roley was dead. His body was recovered before flames reached the area.
Investigators believe Roley acted alone. A shotgun was found near his body, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is now working to trace the weapon’s origin.
National Response
Idaho Gov. Brad Little condemned the incident as a “heinous direct assault” on firefighters and called on Idahoans to pray for the victims and their families.
“Multiple heroic firefighters were attacked today while responding to a fire in North Idaho,” Little posted on X.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Secretary Kristi Noem has been briefed, and the FBI has been assisting local authorities.
The shelter-in-place order for the Canfield Mountain area has since been lifted, though officials are continuing to monitor the wildfire and investigation closely.
