Authorities have identified a 20-year-old man as the suspect in an alleged sniper attack on firefighters in Idaho, which resulted in the deaths of two and severe injuries to a third. The suspect reportedly aspired to become a firefighter himself.
Wess Roley is accused of opening fire on firefighters as they responded to a blaze at Canfield Mountain, north of Coeur d’Alene, on Sunday evening, officials stated. The incident claimed the lives of two firefighters, while a third sustained critical injuries.
Investigators believe Roley deliberately ignited the fire to lure first responders to the scene. While his ambition was to join the ranks of firefighters, the motive behind the alleged attack remains under investigation.
Following an hours-long standoff, a police SWAT team discovered Roley’s body near the location of the attack.
Roley relocated from Arizona to Idaho in 2023 to work for his father’s tree trimming business, according to a social media post by his mother. Officials reported that he allegedly fired upon first responders from a tree he had climbed.
In an update shared in October 2024, his mother indicated that he was “doing great living in Idaho.”
Law enforcement officials suspect Roley used a flint, discovered near his body, to deliberately ignite the fire.
“This was a total ambush. These firefighters did not have a chance,” Sheriff Bob Norris stated during a news conference.
One of the deceased firefighters was employed by the city’s fire service, while the other served with Kootenai County Fire and Rescue.
The injured firefighter is “fighting for his life, but is in stable condition,” according to officials.
Idaho’s governor has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on Monday to honor the fallen firefighters.
The initial report of the fire in the mountainside community was received at approximately 13:21 PST (21:21 BST), followed by reports of gunfire targeting firefighters 40 minutes later, Norris explained.
The Nettleton Gulch Fire, as it is known, has grown to 26 acres since it was first reported and continues to burn. No structures are currently threatened, and officials are hopeful that the blaze will be extinguished by Monday night.
Over 300 law enforcement officers from city, county, state, and federal agencies responded to the shooting, including two helicopters with snipers on board.
Sheriff Norris indicated that authorities believe the suspect used a high-powered rifle to rapidly fire upon first responders. Initially, officers were uncertain about the number of individuals involved.
A shotgun has been recovered, and several bullets or fragments, possibly from a rifle, have been found. Officials suggest that more firearms may be hidden on the mountain.
After an extended exchange of gunfire, the suspect was located by tracing his mobile phone signal on a popular hiking trail, which officials noted was being used by hundreds on Sunday afternoon.
“It appears that he shot himself,” Norris stated during a news conference on Monday.
Norris added that the suspect had no prior criminal record and had only five “very minor” interactions with police since moving to Idaho in 2024. One instance involved him being declared to be trespassing at a restaurant by police.
No “manifesto” has been discovered, according to the sheriff. He added that the suspect appeared to have recently deleted several social media posts and that he was a “transient” living in a car found near the fire.
To prevent the suspect from fleeing, authorities disabled the vehicle and “pushed it off the mountain,” the sheriff stated. They have not yet been able to access the vehicle for a more thorough search.
Several fire department vehicles also had their tires flattened to prevent the suspect from escaping.
Sheriff Norris ruled out any connection between the suspect and “Islamic Jihad,” which he said had been falsely suggested on social media.
Prior to the attack, the suspect had an interaction with fire officials who responded to the brush blaze, according to the sheriff. He declined to disclose further details of the encounter, though it appeared to relate to the suspect’s vehicle.
Roley’s grandfather told NBC News on Monday that the suspect had dreamed of becoming a firefighter, and “actually really respected law enforcement”.
“He loved firefighters,” said Dale Roley.
“It didn’t make sense that he was shooting firefighters. Maybe he got rejected or something.”
His grandfather added that he “had been in contact to get a job with a fire department”, and “wanted to be part of a team that he sort of idolised”.
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