Latest news with #Coeurd'AleneFireDepartment
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
No Firefighter Is Surprised by What Just Happened in Idaho
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. On Sunday, 20-year-old Wess Roley, it's alleged, started a wildfire near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, then lay in wait for firefighters to respond. When they did, he apparently opened fire, killing Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Chief Frank Harwood and Coeur d'Alene Fire Department Battalion Chief John Morrison. He also critically wounded Coeur d'Alene Fire Department engineer David Tysdal. Roley was found dead, with a shotgun by his side, later that day. The attack dominated headlines, becoming a global story and immediately sparking political tribal skirmishes on social media. The enormous interest makes sense. It's a horrible tragedy. We expect this kind of thing when it comes to police officers or other professionals for whom violence is a tool of the trade. Hearing that other crisis responders, especially firefighters, who are unarmed and there only to help, have come under fire could be shocking. But not to me, and not, I suspect, to other firefighters. Last year, almost to the day, I gathered together in a sweltering high school auditorium with about 50 firefighters, EMTs, and a small cadre of cops to undergo rescue task force training, which focuses on how civilian personnel, like firefighters, can partner with armed law enforcement to render critical aid to victims in a mass-casualty incident. The training was highly effective, emphasizing command and control, triage, trauma life support, and casualty evacuation. It lasted just a few hours and was packed with critical information, so I tried to pay close attention. I'll admit that I did have to put in some effort. Because, for the most part, I'd already been through it when I took Tactical Combat Casualty Care training before deploying to Iraq in 2007. While tweaked somewhat to deal with a domestic incident (such as dealing with distraught parents during a school shooting), the Venn diagram for the two trainings was almost a circle. Indeed, the idea that responders to shooting incidents, whether armed or unarmed, should undergo TCCC training is an element of the 2013 Hartford Consensus. This was a kind of national throwing up of the hands that accepted that shootings could not be stopped, and shifted focus to a more effective response, recommending that responders adopt a tripartite mission when time is of the essence: 1) Stop the killing, 2) stop the dying, and 3) save as many as you can. The Hartford Consensus contains elements of a variety of mass casualty programs, including Federal Emergency Management Agency, emergency medical services protocols, advanced trauma life support, Stop the Bleed, and Tactical Emergency Casualty Care, the civilian equivalent of TCCC. The protocols of the instruction were so eerily similar to my Iraq pre-deployment training as to evoke intense déjà vu, and not just in terms of the triage discussion—the brutal calculus wherein first responders make the impossible decision to focus overstretched resources on those who are most likely to be saved, with the tacit understanding that there are those who will have to wait, perhaps interminably, for help. I also recognized the trauma life support measures, from tourniquet application, to the instruction in how to correctly vent a sucking chest wound, to the direction to use an elbow, shoulder, or knee to apply pressure to a convex surface. We covered wound packing (stuffing the hole with the Curlex rolled gauze we habitually carried in Iraq for that purpose in the hopes of stopping bleeding), dealing with clotting powder, and stabilizing victims for transport. But the most striking commonality was the way this training taught unarmed first responders to move with armed operators in the 'warm zone,' an area where the active shooter was not immediately present but where a shooting threat could still manifest. Rescue task force guidance stridently reinforced the lesson that unarmed civilian firefighters like me would be required to move in the warm zone to assist with all of the duties required above, necessarily placing us at risk of … well … getting shot. As a hedge against this possibility, law enforcement officers would be assigned to our contact team with the duty of protecting us and engaging any suspects who opened fire. As a targeting officer (a kind of tactical intelligence analyst) in Iraq, I was armed, but using that weapon was not my job. I carried it as a last resort. Instead, I relied on the 'hard operators' in my team to keep me safe, knowing that if they fell, I had at least a means of holing up and shooting it out with the enemy until the quick reaction force could extract me. Much of the training I received before deploying to Iraq centered on how I could move and integrate with hard operators in my team, staying out of their way until I was needed. This instruction reflects the reality of rising levels of violence directed at firefighters. There are the instances when we have to respond to active shooter incidents, but also, there are the times people shoot at or assault us, as happened in Coeur d'Alene. In 2023 Drexel University's Center for Firefighter Injury Research and Safety Trends noted a 69 percent increase in assaults on firefighters from 2021 to 2022 (from 350 to 593). Many of these incidents occur during medical calls, rather than fire responses. And this number may be an undercount, as FIRST looked only at those incidents reported in the media. I can personally attest that in the hypermasculine and stoic culture of the fire service, a minor assault that didn't result in injury or generate media attention could easily go unremarked on. Indeed, in the District of Columbia in 2023, the firefighters union complained of an increase in assaults against firefighters, describing the attacks as occurring 'fairly often.' The problem isn't confined to the United States. Three-quarters of German firefighters experienced some form of public violence during a response as of February of this year. A recent assault on a Canadian firefighter prompted changes to the criminal code to include firefighters and emergency medical services, and a small town in British Columbia authorized 15,000 Canadian dollars to purchase body armor for firefighters after an attack. While the impact of warfare is obviously a separate scenario, I would be remiss not to note the terrible toll Russia's invasion of Ukraine is taking on European firefighters. Numbers from the U.K. show that the figures are even worse for EMS responders, with whom firefighters usually work closely. The critical question is: why? The answer is complex, evolving, and desperately in need of attention. Spiraling distrust of institutions is an obvious culprit, and the tight bond between fire and police services, who often share resources, means that tensions in the rapport between the public and police are reflected on anyone showing up to a crisis with a uniform on. Then there's the increase in mental health–related calls, which frequently put firefighters in situations in which they are dealing with potentially unstable and reactive individuals like Roley, with the corresponding potential for violent outcomes. But the bottom line is that we don't know why this is happening, only that it is. The American fire service is largely dependent on volunteers and is already under increasing stress from climate change, a decline in volunteerism, and shifting technological demands. Violence against firefighters will only make this worse and may affect the decisionmaking of the people on which the entire system depends. I'm not getting paid for this—why am I risking my life? is a question Americans contemplating volunteering may be forgiven for asking. Given the trends, it's a question for which we owe them an answer. The time for formal, funded, and organized study of the reasons for violence against crisis responders is now.
2 hours ago
Probe into Idaho firefighter ambush suspect digging into childhood, gun familiarity
As the investigation into the deadly firefighter ambush in Idaho over the weekend continues, police are still trying to piece together why suspect Wess Roley allegedly instigated the attack, a source familiar told ABC News. Law enforcement officials identified Roley as the suspected gunman after he was found dead on Canfield Mountain with a shotgun nearby. Two firefighters were killed -- Frank Harwood, 42, a battalion chief with the Kootenai County Fire & Rescue Department and John Morrison, 52, battalion chief of the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department -- and another firefighter, Dave Tysdal, of the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department, was injured while responding to the brush fire, which officials believe Roley purposely started before the ambush. Part of the investigation into Roley's background is focusing on his childhood in Arizona, where he lived with his mother and stepfather, the sources said. Authorities have spoken with some of Roley's immediate family, though it's unclear what they've said, the source added. Police in Idaho have publicly stated that they believe Roley acted alone and that they don't believe the attack on firefighters had any connection to terrorism. Growing up around firearms The source familiar with the investigation, however, said that authorities learned Roley grew up with a family that had firearms and felt comfortable handling them. The source said Roley's stepfather lawfully possessed many firearms. Photos posted to the Facebook and Instagram accounts of Roley's mother and stepfather, reviewed by ABC News, reflect that familiarity with firearms. Nearly half of Arizona residents own firearms, according to Everytown Research and Policy. In an interview with ABC News on Tuesday, a former classmate of Roley's said that while the alleged sniper was always "really different," he still has "a hard time trying to correlate the same Wess that I grew up with to the Wess that did what he did." "I don't know why he did it, and it's -- it's shocking to me," said the former classmate Dieter, who didn't want his last name used publicly. "It's something that villains do, plain and simple." Dieter described Wess Roley as someone who was unusually outspoken in the strident ways he would defend his views. Extremist views in high school Dieter claimed Roley was someone who talked about Nazism, who was "very pro-gun," who spoke of wanting to join the military, who would often make drawings of bombs and military vehicles and who allegedly got in trouble once for drawing swastikas in a textbook. Roley would also say "awful things" related to the border crisis, Dieter said. Dieter said he and his friends would brush off all the comments as "Wess just being Wess," trying to say outlandish things to be "edgy" and stand out. Dieter said Roley never spoke much about his family or his background, except he allegedly often claimed to have been born in Germany and to be more German and "more patriotic" than others. According to Dieter, he and Wess were "never close," but they were part of the same friend group -- going to school together in the Phoenix area beginning in late elementary school and continuing until sophomore year of high school, when Dieter moved to Colorado. During their freshman year of high school, however, Dieter claimed Roley "definitely was becoming more kind of unhinged in what he would say... and what he thought was right." Roley's family's attorney, Justin P. Whittenton, shared a statement on behalf of the family on Monday, saying they "intend to fully cooperate with authorities in seeking answers." "At this time, we, the family of Wess Roley would like to offer our most heartfelt condolences to the families of those whose lives were taken and to the community of Coeur d'Alene at large," the family said in the statement. "There are no words that can suffice for this tragedy and the infinite losses suffered by those affected by this shooting. We do not understand why this happened or how this came about," the family added.
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Indian Express
Firefighters with 70 years of combined experience killed by suspect who ‘wanted be a fireman'. What we know
Two firefighters were killed and a third seriously injured on Sunday, 29 June, after being shot while responding to a wildfire on Canfield Mountain near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Authorities believe the fire was deliberately started to lure emergency crews into an ambush. The gunman was later found dead with a weapon nearby. Police suspect he died by suicide. 'This wasn't an event that we had trained for,' Coeur d'Alene Fire Chief Tom Greif said at a news briefing, as reported by CNN. The suspect has been identified as 20-year-old Wess Roley. Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris told CBS News that a tactical team used mobile phone signals to locate Roley in a wooded area near the fire. A rifle was found next to his body. Sheriff Norris said, 'We do believe that the suspect started the fire, and we do believe that it was an ambush and it was intentional. These firefighters did not have a chance.' Roley is believed to have moved from Arizona to Idaho in 2023 to work for his father's tree-cutting business. His grandfather told CBS News that Roley had applied to work for the forestry service and 'wanted to be a fireman'. Frank Harwood, 42, was a Battalion Chief with Kootenai County Fire and Rescue. He had served for 17 years and was a former Army National Guard combat engineer. He was married with two children. John Morrison, 52, was the Battalion Chief with Coeur d'Alene Fire Department. He had been with the department for over 28 years and had moved up from firefighter to battalion chief. Engineer Dave Tysdal, 47, of Coeur d'Alene Fire Department, was seriously injured. He has served for 23 years. Fire officials said he underwent two surgeries and is now in critical but stable condition. Together, the three firefighters had nearly 70 years of combined experience. Governor Brad Little called it a 'heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters,' in a post on X. He asked Idahoans to pray for the victims and their families. Multiple heroic firefighters were attacked today while responding to a fire in North Idaho. This is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters. I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more. Teresa and I are heartbroken. As this… — Brad Little (@GovernorLittle) June 29, 2025 A large law enforcement response was deployed, including local police, Idaho State Police, federal agents and support from Washington state. The fire continues to burn across an area of roughly 20 acres. Authorities have lifted a shelter-in-place order, but say residents should remain alert.
Hindustan Times
9 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Coeur d'Alene shooting: Ohio sniper Wess Roley who killed 2 Idaho firefighters had once aspired to be one
A 20-year-old man's life appeared to have begun to unravel in the months before authorities say he fatally shot two firefighters and severely wounded a third as they responded to a wildfire near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Idaho shooter Wess Roley wanted to be a firefighter. (X and Reuters ) Wess Roley was living out of his vehicle and his former roommate, T.J. Franks Jr., said he shaved off his long hair and started to "kind of go downhill.' The two lived together for about six months in Sandpoint, Idaho, until Roley moved out in January, Franks said Monday. Roley, who authorities say took his own life after Sunday's shootings, is suspected of killing two battalion chiefs whose firefighting careers in Idaho spanned nearly half a century combined. The deaths of Frank Harwood, 42, with Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, and John Morrison, 52, with the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department, have left their colleagues reeling, resulting in their departments adding law enforcement to every call, no matter how routine. '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,' Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Chief Christopher Way said. 'But we are taking every measure we can to ensure safety of our responders.' Roley had set a fire using flint at Canfield Mountain, a popular recreation area, according to authorities. The firefighters who rushed to the scene found themselves under fire and took cover behind fire trucks. 'There was an interaction with the firefighters,' Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said. 'It has something to do with his vehicle being parked where it was.' Two helicopters converged on the area, armed with snipers ready to take out the suspect if needed, while the FBI used his cellphone data to track him and the sheriff ordered residents to shelter in place. They eventually found Roley's body in the mountains, his firearm beside him. He had killed himself, the sheriff said. Roley had once aspired to be a firefighter and had only a handful of minor contacts with area police, Norris said. A motive was still unknown, he said. He had ties to California and Arizona and was living in Idaho 'for the better part of 2024,' although it was unclear why he was there, Norris said. When Roley was living with Franks, his apartment cameras caught Roley throwing gang signs at them, which worried Franks to the point that he called police. The landlord also called Franks one morning because neighbors reported that Roley's vehicle had been left running for about 12 hours. Franks said Roley was asleep in his room and said he forgot about the vehicle. Hours after Sunday's shooting, people gathered along Interstate 90 holding American flags to pay their respects as the two fallen firefighters' bodies were taken to the medical examiner's office in Spokane, Washington, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) from Coeur d'Alene. Gov. Brad Little ordered U.S. and Idaho state flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor the firefighters until the day after their memorial service. 'All our public safety officers, especially our firefighters, bravely confront danger on a daily basis but we have never seen a heinous act of violence like this on our firefighters before,' he said in a statement. Harwood, one of the victims of the shooting, had been with the county fire department for 17 years, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Chief Christopher Way said during a news conference Monday. Harwood was married and had two children, and he also was a veteran of the Army National Guard. Morrison, who was also killed, started his career with the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department in 1996 and had also worked as a paramedic. Coeur d'Alene Fire Department Fire Engineer David Tysdal, 47, sustained gunshot wounds and was in critical condition. Authorities said he had two successful surgeries. 'We still are in shock and are struggling to understand why someone would target unarmed, selfless public servants,' said Coeur d'Alene Mayor Woody McEvers. By Monday afternoon, the fire was 'reasonably contained,' and responders had 'stopped significant forward progress," Way said. The Idaho Department of Lands said it had burned about 26 acres (10.5 hectares).
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
What we know about Idaho firefighters, sniper who ambushed them
An Idaho community is reeling days after a man set a brush fire and ambushed responding firefighters, fatally shooting two and injuring a third. Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Chief Frank Harwood and Coeur d'Alene Fire Department Battalion Chief John Morrison were killed in the June 29 shooting, authorities said. Coeur d'Alene Fire Department Dave Tysdal is recovering from his injuries after two surgeries, according to Coeur d'Alene Fire Chief Tom Greif. "This community lost two dedicated public servants," Gabe Eckert, president of the Coeur d'Alene Firefighters' union, said at a news conference Monday. "These men were dedicated firefighters; they were dedicated to their community. These guys were hard workers who loved their families." Officials identified the suspect, who is also deceased in an apparent suicide, as 20-year-old Wess Roley. Roley's body was discovered after a six-hour manhunt that drew a response of hundreds of law enforcement officials from local, state and federal agencies. Here's what we know: The firefighters responded to a call at about 1:21 p.m. on June 29 that there was a fire on the east side of Canfield Mountain near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, a city of about 57,000 residents in the northwest part of the state. At 2 p.m., firefighters broadcast there were shots fired, officials said. The shots prompted a response from hundreds of law enforcement officers, with those on the scene exchanging gunfire with the suspect, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said. 'This was a total ambush," Norris said. "These firefighters did not have a chance." Investigators used cell phone data to locate a signal that hadn't moved since about 3:16 p.m. and discovered the body of the suspect, authorities announced just after 7:40 p.m. As the manhunt unfolded, the brush fire grew unchecked until it was deemed safe for firefighters to access, the Idaho Department of Lands said. As of the evening of June 30, it was being held at about 26 acres with no evacuations or structures at risk, the department said in an update. The suspect, a transient with a history of "minor" run-ins with police, appeared to be living out of his car at the time of the shooting, Norris said. Investigators are still looking into a possible motive and what brought Roley to Coeur d'Alene, he said. Past encounters with law enforcement were mostly about alleged trespassing, officials said. He came from an 'arborist family" and appeared to have fired from up a tree, Norris said. The suspect "at one point wanted to be a firefighter," according to Norris. "We don't know if there's a nexus between that desire and what happened," the sheriff told reporters. Former classmates remembered Roley in interviews with USA TODAY as having "Nazi tendencies" and "obsessed with guns." Read more. The firefighters killed in the attack were remembered as "selfless public servants." Harwood, 42, had been with the Kootenai agency for 17 years, according to Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Chief Christopher Way. He was married with two children. "He did an amazing job," Way said. "This loss is felt by so many." Morrison, 52, had been with the Coeur d'Alene department since 1996, according to Coeur d'Alene Fire Chief Tom Greif. Eckert, of the firefighters' union, shared a recent memory with Morrison of smoking cigars on a backyard patio. "We talked about being better fathers, we talked about being better leaders, and we talked about being better firefighters," Eckert said. "I'm so incredibly grateful that that gets to be my last memory with him." Contributing: John Bacon, Michael Loria, Christopher Cann, N'dea Yancey-Bragg, Josh Meyer and Will Carless, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What we know about slain Idaho firefighters, sniper suspect Wess Roley
