What We Know About the Idaho Shooting
Two firefighters were killed and a third was injured when they were ambushed while responding to a wildfire in the Idaho panhandle on Sunday afternoon, the authorities said.
The incident rattled the city of Coeur d'Alene and the outdoors communities around Canfield Mountain in northwest Idaho, where police said a wildfire was intentionally set to lure the fire crews into an ambush.
The authorities found the body of the suspect with a firearm nearby, according to the police, and they believe he acted alone. Here's what we know.
What happened?
Around 1:21 p.m. on Sunday, the authorities received a call about a fire on Canfield Mountain, a popular wilderness area on the eastern outskirts of Coeur d'Alene, and dispatched firefighters there.
About 40 minutes later, the firefighters radioed frantically that someone was shooting at them.
Two firefighters were killed, and a third was injured but listed in stable condition, according to Sheriff Robert Norris of Kootenai County in Idaho.
More than 300 law enforcement officers responded, including from the F.B.I., and exchanged fire with the gunman. They located his body in the evening, aided by cellphone data, Sheriff Norris said.
Who is the suspect?
Law enforcement officials said they found a man's body, but did not give a name or other identifying details. Sheriff Norris said it was unclear how the man had died. His body was moved quickly from where it was found because of the rapidly spreading fire.
Why do police suspect arson?
Naturally occurring wildfires are uncommon on Canfield Mountain, local outdoors officials said. The authorities believe the suspect set the fire intentionally in order to lure fire crews to the area.
Who are the victims?
The authorities have not yet named the killed and wounded firefighters. One of the slain firefighters worked for the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department and the other was from the Kootenai County Fire Department, Sheriff Norris said. The injured firefighter was also with the Kootenai County Fire Department.
Where is Coeur d'Alene?
Coeur d'Alene is in northwest Idaho, about 30 miles east of Spokane. It is known for its outdoors activities, and is near the large Coeur d'Alene Lake, national forestland and mountains, including Canfield Mountain. The mountain features both public and private lands and trails for hiking, mountain biking and motorcycling.
The Idaho panhandle is known for its rugged outdoors, dense national forests and diverse wildlife.
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Yahoo
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CBS News
2 hours ago
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Law enforcement officers gather after multiple firefighters were attacked when responding to a fire in the Canfield Mountain area outside Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, June 29, 2025. Young Kwak / REUTERS Authorities are also looking through Roley's social media presence for any clues to a possible motive. Norris said investigators have not found any connection to "Islamic jihad," disputing rumors spreading on social media. "We have information that he, at one time, he wanted to be a firefighter," Norris said, but added that investigators don't know if that has any connection to what happened. Victims identified as veteran firefighters Frank Harwood and John Morrison The families of Harwood and Morrison and the firefighting community as a whole are dealing with "unimaginable loss," Kootenai County Fire & Rescue Chief Christopher Way said during the fire department's news conference Monday. Battalion Chief Harwood had been a member of the department for 17 years, Way said. 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IAFF 7th District After the ambush shooting, Way said local law enforcement agencies are now going on every call with the fire department. "I don't know that we're ever going to be able to guarantee people's peace of mind, at least for a while after an incident like this," he said. "But we are taking every measure we can to ensure safety." Suspect lured firefighters by sparking fire, sheriff says The firefighters were responding to a wildfire Sunday afternoon in a popular recreation area at Canfield Mountain when Roley began firing at them, Norris said. The sheriff said investigators believe the suspect used a flint starter to start the fire to lure the firefighters there. "And we do believe that it was an ambush and it was intentional. These firefighters did not have a chance," Norris said Sunday. Investigators initially believed there might have been more than one sniper, due to early reports from first responders, but now say the evidence indicates it was Roley armed with a shotgun. "We know that there was a shotgun used, absolutely, 100%, we know that for sure," Norris said Monday, noting that rifled slugs were recovered from the scene. He said smaller fragments were also found in the area, and the scene is still being processed. Two firefighters were killed by a shooter in ambush while responding to a fire in Idaho. Mehmet Yaren Bozgun/Anadolu via Getty Images Suspect's grandfather describes him as "pretty much a normal kid" According to a Facebook post by his mother, Roley moved from Arizona to Idaho when he turned 18 in 2023 to work for his father's tree-cutting company. In an update shared in October 2024, his mother wrote he was "doing great living in Idaho." In a phone interview with CBS News, his paternal grandfather, Dale Roley, described Wess as "pretty much a normal kid." He said his grandson had recently lost his cellphone and did not have a "high-powered rifle." "He had a .22 long rifle and a shotgun," he said. "That's not a high-powered rifle by any stretch. We're just hoping there's some weird circumstances and Wess wasn't actually involved." Dale Roley confirmed that Wess had worked for his father's tree company, but more recently was working at a different tree company in Coeur d'Alene. He said his grandson "wanted to be a fireman" and applied for a job with the forestry service four or five months ago. In a statement provided by their attorney, Wess Roley's family offered its condolences to the families of the firefighters who were killed and to the Coeur d'Alene community. "There are no words that can suffice for this tragedy and the infinite losses suffered by those affected by this shooting," the family said in the statement. "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. We intend to fully cooperate with authorities in seeking answers. As we also deal with the grief of this heinous tragedy in our own family, we will not be answering any questions outside of law enforcement." As of Monday afternoon, the Nettleton Gulch Fire has spread to approximately 26 acres, the Idaho Department of Lands said in a statement. No evacuations have been ordered and no structures are at risk, the agency said. , and contributed to this report.
