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The Hindu
12 hours ago
- The Hindu
Man shot Idaho firefighters who had asked him to move his vehicle, killing 2, sheriff says
A man who set a wildfire and then fatally shot two firefighters and wounded another in northern Idaho was a 20-year-old transient who attacked the first responders after they asked him to move his vehicle, a sheriff said Monday (June 30, 2025). Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris offered new details about the Sunday ambush at Canfield Mountain just north of Coeur d'Alene, a popular recreation area. He said Wess Roley was living out of his vehicle, had once aspired to be a firefighter and had only a handful of minor contacts with area police. 'We have not been able to find a manifesto,' the sheriff said, adding a motive was still unknown. Mr. Norris said families of the victims are 'in shock — absolutely. They're in shock and they're still processing it.' Roley had set a fire using flint, and the firefighters who rushed to the scene instead found themselves in an unexpected shootout. They took cover behind fire trucks, but two died and a third was wounded during a barrage of gunfire over several hours. Roley later killed himself, Mr. Norris said. 'We know that he was a transient here,' the sheriff said. 'We know he lived here for the better part of 2024. But as far as when he got here, why he was here, why he chose this place — I don't know.' Two helicopters converged on the area Sunday, 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 dead in the mountains, his firearm beside him. Roley's grandfather, Dale Roley, told KXLY-TV that his grandson was an avid hiker who worked for a tree company and was interested in forestry. Outpouring of support for the victims was swift in Coeur d'Alene, a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington. Hours after the ambush, 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 kilometres) from Coeur d'Alene. Gov. Brad Little on Monday 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. 'This is not Idaho. This indescribable loss is felt deeply by all those in the firefighting community and beyond.' 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.' Though the shelter-in-place order was lifted, the sheriff's office cautioned residents to be prepared because the fire was still burning. Firefighters were still battling the blaze Monday, a task made difficult because it was burning in steep terrain, which limited the use of heavy equipment, the Idaho Department of Lands said in a news release. It had burned about 26 acres (10.5 hectares). Fire is always a concern for the region, said Bruce Deming, whose property abuts the trail system. When he noticed smoke on the ridge Sunday afternoon, he wondered why no firefighting helicopters were responding. When a friend texted to tell him about the shooting, he realized why he wasn't seeing aircraft: 'Because they're concerned about being shot at,' he said.
Politico
14 hours ago
- Politico
Man shot Idaho firefighters who had asked him to move his vehicle, sheriff says
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — A man who set a wildfire and then fatally shot two firefighters and wounded another in northern Idaho was a 20-year-old transient who attacked the first responders after they asked him to move his vehicle, a sheriff said Monday. Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris offered new details about the Sunday ambush at Canfield Mountain just north of Coeur d'Alene, a popular recreation area. He said Wess Roley was living out of his vehicle, had once aspired to be a firefighter and had only a handful of minor contacts with area police. 'We have not been able to find a manifesto,' the sheriff said, adding a motive was still unknown. Norris said families of the victims are 'in shock — absolutely. They're in shock and they're still processing it.' Roley had set a fire using flint, and the firefighters who rushed to the scene instead found themselves in an unexpected shootout. They took cover behind fire trucks, but two died and a third was wounded during a barrage of gunfire over several hours. Roley later killed himself, Norris said. 'We know that he was a transient here,' the sheriff said. 'We know he lived here for the better part of 2024. But as far as when he got here, why he was here, why he chose this place — I don't know.' Two helicopters converged on the area Sunday, 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 dead in the mountains, his firearm beside him. Roley's grandfather, Dale Roley, told KXLY-TV that his grandson was an avid hiker who worked for a tree company and was interested in forestry. Outpouring of support for the victims was swift in Coeur d'Alene, a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington. Hours after the ambush, 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 on Monday 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. 'This is not Idaho. This indescribable loss is felt deeply by all those in the firefighting community and beyond.' 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.' Though the shelter-in-place order was lifted, the sheriff's office cautioned residents to be prepared because the fire was still burning. Firefighters were still battling the blaze Monday, a task made difficult because it was burning in steep terrain, which limited the use of heavy equipment, the Idaho Department of Lands said in a news release. It had burned about 26 acres. Fire is always a concern for the region, said Bruce Deming, whose property abuts the trail system. When he noticed smoke on the ridge Sunday afternoon, he wondered why no firefighting helicopters were responding. When a friend texted to tell him about the shooting, he realized why he wasn't seeing aircraft: 'Because they're concerned about being shot at,' he said.
Chicago Tribune
16 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
A man lured Idaho firefighters to a mountain with a fire then shot and killed 2, officials say
BOISE, Idaho — As a wildfire began to sow panic in a small northern Idaho mountain community, a group of firefighters who rushed to put out the blaze instead found themselves in an unexpected shootout. A man who had intentionally set the fire to ambush the crew on Sunday was perched in a sniper position, firing at the firefighters. They took cover behind fire trucks, but two died and a third was wounded during a barrage of gunfire over several hours, authorities said. First responders made urgent calls for help on their radios at Canfield Mountain just north of Coeur d'Alene: 'Everybody's shot up here … send law enforcement now,' according to one dispatch. 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 the suspect dead in the mountains, his firearm beside him. It is unknown how he died, and authorities have not yet revealed a motive. The suspect has been identified as Wess Roley, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Monday. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation. '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 at a Sunday night news conference. 'These firefighters did not have a chance.' The wounded firefighter was 'fighting for his life' after surgery and was in stable condition, Norris said. 'When you have an environment where you don't know where the bullets are coming from because of the trees and the shrubbery and what have you, it is daunting for police officers, let alone firefighters,' Norris said. Outpouring of support was swift in Coeur d'Alene, a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington. Hours after the ambush, 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 on Monday 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. 'This is not Idaho. This indescribable loss is felt deeply by all those in the firefighting community and beyond.' 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.' Though the shelter-in-place order was lifted, the sheriff's office cautioned residents to be prepared because the fire was still burning. The status of the fire was not immediately known Monday morning. Canfield Mountain is a popular hiking and biking area on the outskirts of Coeur d'Alene, covered with trees and heavy brush and crisscrossed with trails that lead into a national forest. Fire is always a concern for the region, said Bruce Deming, whose property abuts the trail system. When he noticed smoke on the ridge Sunday afternoon, he wondered why no firefighting helicopters were responding. When a friend texted to tell him about the shooting, he realized why he wasn't seeing aircraft: 'Because they're concerned about being shot at,' he said. As deputies set up posts nearby, Deming pointed them to a trail that starts near his backdoor and leads directly to the site of the fire. 'I just don't want to have to wake up in the middle of the night to figure if somebody's out prowling around my place,' he said.
Los Angeles Times
19 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
A man lured Idaho firefighters to a mountain with a fire then shot and killed 2, officials say
BOISE, Idaho — As a wildfire began to sow panic in a small northern Idaho mountain community, a group of firefighters who rushed to put out the blaze instead found themselves in an unexpected shootout. A man who had intentionally set the fire to ambush the crew on Sunday was perched in a sniper position, firing at the firefighters. They took cover behind fire trucks, but two died and a third was wounded during a barrage of gunfire over several hours, authorities said. First responders made urgent calls for help on their radios at Canfield Mountain just north of Coeur d'Alene: 'Everybody's shot up here ... send law enforcement now,' according to one dispatch. 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 the suspect dead in the mountains, his firearm beside him. It is unknown how he died, and authorities have not yet revealed a motive. The suspect has been identified as Wess Roley, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press on Monday. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation. '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 at a Sunday night news conference. 'These firefighters did not have a chance.' The wounded firefighter was 'fighting for his life' after surgery and was stable, Norris said. 'When you have an environment where you don't know where the bullets are coming from because of the trees and the shrubbery and what have you, it is daunting for police officers, let alone firefighters,' Norris said. Outpouring of support was swift in Coeur d'Alene, a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington. Hours after the ambush, 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, Wash., about 35 miles from Coeur d'Alene. Gov. Brad Little on Monday 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. 'This is not Idaho. This indescribable loss is felt deeply by all those in the firefighting community and beyond.' 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.' Though the shelter-in-place order was lifted, the sheriff's office cautioned residents to be prepared because the fire was still burning. The status of the fire was not immediately known Monday morning. Canfield Mountain is a popular hiking and biking area on the outskirts of Coeur d'Alene, covered with trees and heavy brush and crisscrossed with trails that lead into a national forest. Fire is always a concern for the region, said Bruce Deming, whose property abuts the trail system. When he noticed smoke on the ridge Sunday afternoon, he wondered why no firefighting helicopters were responding. When a friend texted to tell him about the shooting, he realized why he wasn't seeing aircraft: 'Because they're concerned about being shot at,' he said. As deputies set up posts nearby, Deming pointed them to a trail that starts near his backdoor and leads directly to the site of the fire. 'I just don't want to have to wake up in the middle of the night to figure if somebody's out prowling around my place,' he said. Boone and Weber write for the Associated Press. Weber reported from Los Angeles. AP journalists Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington; Mead Gruver in Cheyenne, Wyo.; Josh Funk in Omaha; and Kathy McCormack in Concord, N.H., contributed to this report.
Mint
20 hours ago
- Mint
Idaho wildfire ambush horror: Wess Roley named as suspect who killed 2 firefighters
Wess Roley has been identified as the suspect behind a shocking attack that left two firefighters dead and a third critically wounded as they battled a wildfire in northern Idaho. According to a law enforcement official who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, Roley allegedly set the fire deliberately to lure first responders into an ambush. '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 during a news conference Sunday night. 'These firefighters did not have a chance.' Authorities said Roley was perched in a sniper position when he opened fire on the crew as they arrived on Canfield Mountain near Coeur d'Alene. The attack unfolded over several hours, leaving the community shaken and prompting an urgent response from law enforcement and federal agencies. The incident unfolded on Sunday afternoon on Canfield Mountain, a heavily forested recreation area just north of Coeur d'Alene. Firefighters responding to what initially appeared to be a wildfire were met instead with gunfire from a hidden sniper position. First responders made desperate radio calls for help: 'Everybody's shot up here ... send law enforcement now.' Authorities said the gunman fired over the course of several hours. Two helicopters carrying snipers were dispatched, while the FBI used cellphone data to help track the suspect. Roley was eventually found dead in the mountains with his firearm beside him, though investigators have not said how he died. Idaho Governor Brad Little condemned the attack as an assault on public servants: 'This was 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.' The Idaho House Republican Leadership issued a similar 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.' The wounded firefighter, who was rushed into surgery, was reportedly stable but 'fighting for his life,' Sheriff Norris said. Hours after the ambush, residents lined Interstate 90 holding American flags to honor the fallen as their bodies were taken to Spokane for examination. Though the shelter-in-place order has been lifted, authorities warned the wildfire remained active as of Monday morning.
