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CTV News
10 hours ago
- CTV News
Man who killed Idaho firefighters had been turned away by fire department, Army
The Coeur d'Alene Fire Dept. hangs an American flag to honor the firefighters who were killed Sunday, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) The man accused of fatally shooting two Idaho firefighters before killing himself last month had tried to join the fire department, and became angry when told he would need to go through training and testing. Wess Roley also tried to join the Army twice — his father was an Army veteran — but was disqualified after failing to follow through on tasks and appointments, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said Tuesday at a press conference. The new revelations offer a more complete picture of the 20-year-old's resentments. Officials also presented evidence suggesting the attack was premeditated — a goodbye letter to his father they found in his truck and drawings in his home that appear to show a mountain parking lot with a shotgun being fired and a person aiming a rifle at his chin. 'Tomorrow, I shall go to battle,' Roley wrote to his father. 'If I survive, it would be with upmost dishonor. I bid thee farewell.' Next to his signature were two symbols that appear to be runes linked to Nazi ideology. Roley used gas, lighters and flint to start a series of fires at Canfield Mountain on June 29 to instigate a response, then shot at firefighters who asked him to move his vehicle, Norris said. He shot at others from a tree before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the sheriff said. 'A pure act of evil' 'This was a premeditated ambush, a pure act of evil against the people we look to for help,' Norris said. Killed were Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Frank Harwood, 42, and Coeur d'Alene Fire Department Battalion Chief John Morrison, 52. Coeur d'Alene Fire Engineer David Tysdal, 47, was hospitalized in critical condition. Investigators hope to learn more from Roley's social media accounts, but it's clear that his frustrations were growing over time, the sheriff said. Roley tried to become a soldier in Arizona in 2023 and again last year in Hayden, Idaho, 'but failed to follow through on tasks and appointments, eventually being disqualified by the U.S. Army,' Norris said. Then, one month before the shootings, Roley went to a Coeur d'Alene fire station asking about becoming a firefighter, Norris said. 'He had the state of mind that he would be able to start that day,' Norris said. 'He was told there's a process — you have a written exam, and a physical agility and a background investigation and an oral interview. The contact became agitated and frustrated. He left there in a very frustrated and agitated state.' Former classmate recalls shooter as aggressive Beyond what the sheriff shared, little is known about Roley's motivation, but Associated Press interviews and court records reveal a troubled early home life and a disconnect from schoolmates, who saw him as an aggressive young man who liked to draw bombs and use firearms. Roley lived with his mother, Heather Caldwell-Cuchiara, and stepfather in Phoenix, Arizona, before moving to northern Idaho to live with his father, Jason Roley, in 2024. Dieter Denen, who went to elementary, middle and high school with Roley, told the AP that Roley's aggression and 'racist' comments made classmates uncomfortable. 'He was really on edge a lot,' Denen said. Roley would say unkind or rude things to people of a different race, culture or religion, he said. 'You'd kind of go, 'what the heck — why would you say that — it's a little messed up to say that," he said. Roley got in trouble for drawing a swastika in a school book, and also liked to draw bombs, planes and 'military things,' Denen said. Roley also bragged about his time in Germany: 'He would always tell me, 'I'm a lot more German in every way compared to you." Denen said he couldn't believe it when a friend texted an article about the shootings. 'It's just so shocking,' Denen said. 'With Wess, he was definitely different when we were younger but it's hard to think that anyone could ever do something like that.' Mother got protection order against his father Court records show his parents, Heather and Jason Roley, were married in San Bernardino, California, in 2008. Jason Roley served in the Army from 2007 to 2015, including two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, and left the service as a staff sergeant, an Army spokesperson said. The family lived in Grafenwöhr, Germany, home to a large U.S. Army base, from 2010 to 2015, when Wess Roley was 5 to 10 years old. Records show his mother filed for divorce after they moved to Phoenix and sought a protection order saying Jason Roley posed a threat to her and their son. Her petition said he was an alcoholic and had been arrested for assaulting her on Oct. 1, 2015. 'He was very intoxicated,' she wrote. 'He was crying inconsolably saying that he was going to commit suicide. Things escalated. He punched several holes in the walls, destroyed my cell phone, pushed me to the ground.' Jason Roley texted her after his arrest saying he was going to kill himself, she wrote. 'Jason verbally threatened me by saying he would be waiting outside with a sniper rifle and burn the place down,' she wrote. 'He said the only thing stopping him from going through with it was going to prison.' 'They did not deserve this' The judge ordered him to stay away from his wife and son and surrender any firearms. 'I am not a danger to my son or anyone else,' Jason Roley responded. 'The plaintiff did not tell the truth in her statement.' The judge apparently believed her after a hearing. His order cited an act of domestic violence and said he might do it again. The protection would continue for the mother, but not their minor child. Three years later, Jason Roley applied for a marriage license, with Sara Peterson. Their social media pages say they're married and live in Priest River, Idaho, near Sandpoint, where Wess Roley had been living before he became homeless. Email and phone messages seeking Jason Roley's comment were not returned. His father, Dale Roley, wrote on Facebook that he's the grandfather. 'I would like give my Condolence's to all those family members who were Unfortunately Victims of yesterdays Crimes,' Dale Roley wrote. 'Those good Brave Firefighters were just doing there Job they did not deserve this!' Martha Bellisle, The Associated Press
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Capitol Hill all-nighter
Welcome to July!🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert. Celebrate Independence Day early with these epic sales. As the sun rises in Washington, senators still debate Over twenty hours after they began voting on President Donald Trump's tax bill, Republican senators are still trying to resolve disagreements over policies to meet the president's July 4 deadline. The nitty gritty: Republicans hold a 53-47 majority and face united Democratic opposition and the defection of at least two of their members. If the Senate approves the bill, it heads back to the House, where votes are scheduled to begin July 2. What we know about the Idaho shooting suspect who ambushed firefighters Officials have identified the sniper who was found dead after starting a fire and fatally shooting two responding firefighters. The sniper was identified as Wess Roley, 20, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris confirmed at a news conference Monday afternoon. Roley is accused of lighting a fire in the early afternoon June 29 and then shooting two first responders who arrived to put it out. The suspect "at one point wanted to be a firefighter," according to Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris. "We don't know if there's a nexus between that desire and what happened. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. Heading to the beach this weekend? Maybe check local guidance on water safety. Officials have closed off swimming at beaches in some parts of Illinois, New York and Washington due to excessive bacteria in the water. In Massachusetts, nearly 20 beaches are closed to the public as swimming could cause illness, according to the Patriot Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that bacteria known as vibrio are often typically found in coastal waters and can cause various vibriosis symptoms, including diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting and fever, as well as blistering skin lesions and dangerously low blood pressure. Here's some of the areas where excessive bacteria levels prompted beach closures or advisories ahead of the Fourth of July. The summer job may be a myth of bygone era The U.S. hiring cooldown is casting a chill over a teen summer job market that has sizzled the past few years. Not only are fewer teenagers looking for jobs, but also a smaller share of those looking are getting hired. The development appears to reflect the demise of a post-pandemic hiring frenzy that provided teen summer job hunters the most favorable landscape in more than 50 years, along with benefits experts say can bolster their entire careers. Among other factors, experts point to a generally slowing U.S. labor market, economic uncertainty spawned by President Donald Trump's tariffs and automation that's wiping out the kind of entry level jobs typically snared by young people. Today's talkers Glastonbury sets upset UK and US officials The State Department revoked visas for members of Britain's Bob Vylan punk-rap duo after they led chants during their set at the Glastonbury music festival in England over the weekend. The U.S. government and the BBC, which broadcast the event, said the language was antisemitic. The BBC issued a warning on screen for strong language while the set was being streamed online, but it acknowledged that it should have gone further. The lead vocalist of the grime-meets-punk rock group appeared to refer to the weekend performance in a post on Instagram, writing: "I said what I said." Photo of the day: A Messi moment We never thought it would happen: Paris Saint-Germain blanked Inter Miami 4-0 on Sunday in front of 65,574 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Messi kept his emotions in check, but you could see his helplessness every time he looked down after looking up at the scoreboard in the first half. Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@
USA Today
01-07-2025
- USA Today
These are the only words we can offer to the Idaho firefighters
There are no words we can say to the community of America's firefighters who risk their lives every day and now, apparently, not only have to confront fire but watch their backs, too. There is something particularly nauseating about a creeper who would set a brush fire then start shooting at the first responders who rush to the scene to put it out. But it seems an even bigger abomination to read about the stunning ambush of firefighters on a mountain in Idaho on Monday, June 30, the anniversary of the day when 19 brave hotshots died on a hill in Arizona. At least nobody was shooting at them as they battled their final blaze. According to Idaho authorities, the gunman started a wildfire on a mountain popular with hikers, just north of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Then he proceeded to shoot at the firefighters who responded. Idaho firefighters were likely targeted Pandemonium broke out as first responders, intent on battling a fire, found themselves under heavy fire. 'Everybody's shot up here,' said one first responder in an urgent radio call for help. 'Send law enforcement now.' When the horror had ended, two firefighters were dead and a third was critically wounded. The suspected sniper, 20-year-old Wess Roley, was later found dead, hiding in the rugged terrain with his high-powered rifle. 'We do believe that the suspect started the fire, and we do believe that it was an ambush, and it was intentional,' Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said. 'These firefighters did not have a chance.' It's difficult to fathom what could go through the mind of anyone who would set out to ambush firefighters. They're the men and women who dedicate their lives to rescue. They're the ones who ran into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, knowing they likely would never come out. And in Arizona, on a Sunday afternoon 12 years ago, they're the ones who battled a wildfire on Yarnell Hill near Prescott. Firefighters protect our communities, from Nettleton Gulch Fire to Yarnell Everyone in Arizona knows and reveres the story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, overrun by fire in a box canyon when the hot, gusty winds suddenly shifted and no escape was possible. Nineteen of the 20 hotshots died that day. The only survivor was posted as a lookout when the fire overtook his teammates. Before it was done, the Yarnell Hill Fire burned more than 13 square miles and destroyed 127 buildings. The Nettleton Gulch Fire, as the Idaho tragedy has been dubbed, grew to 26 acres overnight, according to the Idaho Department of Lands. And there are the determined firefighters of Idaho, working still to put it out even as their teammates lay dead. There's a memorial to the Yarnell Hill Fire in Yarnell, and Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park was dedicated in 2016 as a place to remember the 19 Arizona firefighters who were lost that awful day. But you don't need to travel to a place of tragedy to honor their sacrifice, not in New York City where more than 300 firefighters died after a terrorist attack and not in Yarnell, where 19 of Arizona's finest died fighting a fire started by lightning. And not in Idaho, where two firefighters succumbed to a sort of evil most of us simply cannot understand. There are no words we can say to the community of America's firefighters who risk their lives every day and now, apparently, not only have to confront fire but watch their backs, too. Actually, there are words. Just two. Thank you. Laurie Roberts is a columnist for the Arizona Republic, where this column originally appeared. Reach Roberts at or follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRobertsaz, on Threads at @LaurieRobertsaz and on BlueSky at @
Reuters
01-07-2025
- Reuters
Suspect in deadly Idaho firefighters ambush identified
The man who shot dead two firefighters and wounded a third after setting a blaze near a popular mountainside trail in Idaho was identified as Wess Roley on Monday (June 30), according to Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris. This report produced by Freddie Joyner.
Daily Mirror
30-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Audio of firefighter calling for help after two colleagues killed: 'Everybody'
Two firefighters were killed and another was seriously injured after they were ambushed and shot by a sniper in camouflage while responding to a wildfire near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho at Canfield Mountain early Sunday afternoon The harrowing audio of an Idaho firefighter's desperate call for police backup, after his colleagues were shot dead, has captured the terror in his voice as he urgently reports, 'Everybody's shot. '. In a horrific turn of events, two firefighters tragically lost their lives and another was critically wounded when a sniper, cloaked in camouflage, attacked them during a wildfire response near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, at Canfield Mountain on early Sunday afternoon. They became targets upon responding to the blaze. It has emerged that the assailant deliberately set the fire with the malicious intent to set up an ambush for the unsuspecting firefighters. Amidst the chaos, one firefighter made a distressing call to the police. READ MORE: What happens after we die - 'The Gateway Valley, emotional reunions and blinding light' "Hello, send law enforcement right now. There's an active shooter zone. They're shot. BC 3 is down, BC1 is down. Everybody's shot up here," voiced the surviving firefighter. "These firefighters did not have a chance," Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris solemnly declared, according to Mirror US. A member from the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department and another from the Kootenai County Fire and Rescue succumbed to their injuries while being transported to hospital. A third firefighter underwent surgery, was severely injured but clung to life, Norris confirmed. As the wilfully-set Nettleton Gulch Fire continues to burn, two more lives have been claimed and another person has suffered injuries overnight. The firefighting team remains resolute in their efforts to tackle the fire, despite 'dealing with rough terrain,' as noted by the Idaho Department of Land. Chilling photographs have emerged, capturing the terrifying moments as police quickly descended on the scene, imposing lockdowns on surrounding areas and frantically searching for the gunman. Several hours after sniper shots were aimed at federal, state and local law enforcement, the Kootenai County Sheriff's office confirmed that a 'deceased male has been found on Canfield Mountain,' believed to be the shooter. The alleged assailant was named as Wess Roley, whose death was late Sunday night after a prolonged exchange of gunfire with the authorities. A gun was found by his body, as per reports from the police. In a poignant show of unity, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho locals gathered with American flags to observe an "impromptu procession" of police and fire brigade vehicles honouring two firefighters lost in the line of duty battling blazes. The deceased heroes were moved to Spokane, as Coeur d'Alene Fire Dept reported, while residents amassed on overpasses in North Idaho in a heartfelt tribute. The identities of the fallen firefighters remain undisclosed. "We have two deaths and an unknown amount of casualties. We still have civilians coming off of that mountain. We might have civilians who are stuck or are in shock on that mountain," Norris previously mentioned. "You can expect some of these things to occur in an urban setting but in a rural setting? This is very, very, very rare," Norris later remarked at the press conference.
