Firefighters Murdered in Premeditated Ambush, Suspect's Violent Past Surfaces

Authorities believe a man fatally shot two Idaho firefighters before taking his own life. The Kootenai County sheriff reported that the man, identified as 20-year-old Wess Roley, had previously expressed intentions of engaging in combat, leaving a note addressed to his father.

Roley allegedly set a brush fire on Canfield Mountain near Coeur D’Alene on June 29th and then opened fire on the responding firefighters in what authorities have characterized as an ambush. He later died by suicide.

The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office revealed that Roley had attempted to enlist in the U.S. Army in Arizona in 2023 and again in Idaho in 2024, but he failed to follow through with appointments and was ultimately disqualified. He had also visited a Coeur d’Alene fire station in May, inquiring about becoming a firefighter. He became frustrated when informed about the necessary application process.

A handwritten letter addressed to his father was discovered in Roley’s truck. Investigators also found a drawing at his home depicting a person with a shotgun, accompanied by the words "kill kill kill." The letter included the phrases, "Tomorrow I shall go into battle, if I survive it would be with utmost dishonor," and "I bid thee farewell."

According to the sheriff, Roley initiated the incident by setting a series of fires to prompt a response from local fire departments. Confrontation occurred when firefighters asked Roley to move his truck. He then shot and wounded Coeur d’Alene firefighter/engineer David Tysdal. Subsequently, he fatally shot Coeur d’Alene Fire Battalion Chief John Morrison and Kootenai County Fire & Rescue Battalion Chief Frank J. Harwood. Roley's body was later found in the wooded area, and officials confirmed his death was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The sheriff described the incident as a premeditated ambush. The investigation is ongoing.