2 firefighters killed in ambush in Idaho, shot at while responding to wildfire, sheriff says
Two firefighters were killed and a third wounded Sunday when they were shot as they responded to a wildfire on an Idaho mountain that was set to lure them into an ambush, authorities said.
A tactical response team used cellphone data to zero in on a wooded area where they found the body of what's believed to be the lone suspect and a rifle nearby as flames were rapidly approaching, Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris told a news conference late Sunday night. Norris said a signal was detected coming from a cellphone that was in the same spot since about 3:16 p.m. local time and authorities honed in on it.
At a news conference Monday afternoon, Norris said the coroner's office has confirmed the suspect's identity as Wess Roley, 20.
According to a Facebook post by his mother, Wess Roley moved from Arizona to Idaho when he turned 18 in 2023 to work for his father's tree cutting company. In an update shared in October 2024, his mother wrote that he was "doing great living in Idaho."
Norris said Monday it appears Roley shot himself. He said the motive is unknown and remains under investigation.
The suspect's body and firearm were quickly removed from the scene because the fire was rapidly approaching, he said. Gunfire had been exchanged with the suspect, and at one point authorities had two helicopters overhead with snipers in them.
A shelter-in-place order for area residents was lifted but residents were urged to stay alert because the fire was still burning.
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."
He said the blaze covered about 20 acres and there were 300 law enforcement officers at the scene including some from Spokane, Washington, and the FBI.
Sheriff's officials said crews responded to a blaze on Canfield Mountain just north of Coeur d'Alene around 1:30 p.m. and gunshots were reported about a half hour later. The gunfire continued over several hours.
Three victims were brought to Kootenai Health, said hospital spokesperson Kim Anderson. Two firefighters were dead on arrival.
The wounded firefighter was "fighting for his life" after surgery but was in stable condition, Norris said.
Fire officials on Monday identified the deceased firefighters as Battalion Chief Frank Harwood, 42, and Battalion Chief John Morrison, 52. Engineer Dave Tysdal was critically injured and underwent two successful surgeries on Monday, fire officials said.
One of the slain firefighters was from the Coeur d'Alene department and the other was from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, Norris said, adding that the wounded firefighter is with the the Coeur d'Alene department.
Gov. 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."
Grandfather describes "pretty much a normal kid"
In a phone interview with CBS News, Dale Roley, the paternal grandfather of Wess Roley, said he learned from news reports and other family members about his grandson's involvement. He described Wess as "pretty much a normal kid."
He said his grandson had recently lost his cellphone and did not have a "high-powered rifle."
"He had a .22 long rifle and a shotgun," he said. "That's not a high-powered rifle by any stretch. We're just hoping there's some weird circumstances and Wess wasn't actually involved."
Dale Roley said he last spoke to his grandson about three weeks ago, before he lost his phone, and at that time, Wess was "optimistic about the future."
"He was excited about stuff," he said. "This is like a shot in the dark. Somebody wouldn't do something like this if he didn't snap. We have no idea what was the catalyst that created this problem."
"He liked the woods," he said. "He was a hunter, fisherman. There's no rhyme or reason here that I can find, or his dad. We're talking on the phone and he's like, 'How did this happen?'"
Dale Roley confirmed that Wess had worked for his father's tree company, but more recently was working at a different tree company in Coeur d'Alene. He said his grandson "wanted to be a fireman" and applied for a job with the forestry service four or five months ago.
He offered his condolences to the families of the firefighters who were killed.
Hikers evacuated from the mountain
Norris told reporters as the situation was unfolding, "We still have civilians that are coming off of that mountain. We might have civilians that are stuck or in shock on that mountain, so this is a very, very fresh situation. We are prepared to neutralize this suspect who is currently actively shooting at public safety personnel. We are prepared to neutralize this suspect as quickly as possible."
He said at the late-night news conference that authorities believe all civilians are off the mountain, including any hikers who were in the vicinity.
Coeur d'Alene is close to the Idaho-Washington border, about 30 miles from Spokane.
