Two firefighters shot dead in Idaho
A man in northern Idaho shot and killed two firefighters, wounding one other, after starting a fire and initiating a gunfight with first responders that lasted several hours.
Authorities gave the update after lifting a shelter-in-place order, though cautioned people to remain wary as the fire was still burning.
Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said a tactical response team had used cell phone date to 'hone in' on a wooded area where they found the suspect's body with a firearm nearby.
'We do believe that the suspect started the fire, and we do believe that it was an ambush and it was intentional,' Norris said at a Sunday night news conference. 'These firefighters did not have a chance.'
Officials did not release his name, nor did they say what kind of gun was found. Locals wave a fire department flag in solidarity with the two firefighters killed in the attack. / Credit: AP
Officials said crews responded to a fire at Canfield Mountain just north of Coeur d'Alene around 1:30pm, and gunshots were reported about half an hour later.
Investigators said the gunman acted alone.
Three victims were brought to Kootenai Health, said hospital spokesperson Kim Anderson. Two were dead on arrival and the third was being treated for injuries, Anderson said. The wounded firefighter was 'fighting for his life' after surgery and was in stable condition.
First responders made urgent calls for help on their radios: 'Everybody's shot up here … send law enforcement now,' according to one dispatch.
Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning.
Governor Brad Little said 'multiple' firefighting personnel were attacked.
'This is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters,' Little said on X. 'I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more.'
Norris said it appeared the sniper was hiding in the rugged terrain and using a high-powered rifle. He said he instructed deputies to fire back.
The Idaho House Republican Leadership said in a statement: 'We are horrified by the murder of two firefighters in Coeur d'Alene, and shocked by such a vicious attack on our first responders. We are praying for them, the injured, their families and their colleagues.'
Coeur d'Alene is a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington. Canfield Mountain is a popular hiking and biking area on the city's outskirts, covered with trees and heavy brush and crisscrossed with trails that lead into a national forest.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…
Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
an hour ago
- 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
2 hours ago
- 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.
Glasgow Times
9 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Jury begins deliberating in Sean ‘Diddy' Combs sex trafficking trial
After receiving legal instructions from federal Judge Arun Subramanian, the jury of eight men and four women headed behind closed doors to deliberate on Monday. They will sift through seven weeks of sometimes graphic and emotional testimony about the rap, fashion and reality TV impresario, including drug-fuelled sex marathons dubbed 'freak-offs' or 'hotel nights'. King Combs, right and Justin Dior, left, sons of Sean Combs, arrive at court in New York (Yuki Iwamura/AP) Jurors are being provided with a laptop loaded with all of the exhibits shown in court, including text messages, photographs and videos of the sexual encounters at the heart of the case. As he sent the jury to deliberate, Judge Subramanian told the five alternate jurors to remain on standby in case they are needed to fill in on the main jury. About 10 minutes into deliberations, the jury sent a note indicating they had completed their first order of business: electing a foreperson. Combs, 55, faced his family and supporters, who are in the courtroom gallery, all who were bowing their heads in prayer — his family members holding hands with each other. Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking — relating to two of his ex-girlfriends — and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution for allegedly arranging to fly sex workers across state lines. In closing arguments last week, prosecutors and Combs's defence team took their last shots at convincing jurors to convict or acquit the Grammy Award-winning founder of Bad Boy Records. 'The defendant used power, violence and fear to get what he wanted,' assistant US attorney Christy Slavik said. 'He thought that his fame, wealth and power put him above the law.' Lila Combs, Chance Combs and Jessie Combs, daughters of Sean Combs, arrive at court in New York (Yuki Iwamura/AP) Defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo countered: 'This isn't about crime. It's about money.' He noted that one of Combs's accusers in the criminal case also sued him in civil court. In all, 34 witnesses gave evidence, headlined by Combs's former girlfriends Cassie — the R&B singer born Casandra Ventura — and 'Jane' who gave evidence under a pseudonym. Both women said he often was violent towards them and forced them into hundreds of sexual encounters with paid male sex workers. Jurors also saw now-infamous security camera video of Combs beating, kicking and dragging Cassie at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016 and clips from videos of sexual encounters. Combs chose not to give evidence, and his lawyers did not call any witnesses in their defence case. His lawyers elected instead to challenge the accusers' credibility during lengthy cross-examination questioning. The defence has acknowledged that Combs veered into violence, but his lawyers maintain that the sex acts were consensual. They contend that prosecutors are intruding in Combs's personal life and that he has done nothing to warrant the charges against him.
