The armed suspect behind Monday’s firefighter ambush has been identified as Wess Roley, 20, of Idaho – a man whose grandfather revealed he once idolized first responders and dreamed of joining their ranks, making the attack a “shattering betrayal” of his childhood aspirations.
Wess Roley, alleged Idaho gunman. 20 years old. If this is true, he’s from Arizona but worked in Idaho for his dad’s company. pic.twitter.com/YPEt0u99oP
— Hannah (@hannahemerson27) June 30, 2025
According to family members, Roley grew up enthralled by firefighting, often dressing in firefighter costumes and studying emergency response protocols. “He loved firefighters, wanted to be one his whole young life,” his grandfather told Hindustan Times. “This is unimaginable.”
The suspect had “a discussion” with the firefighters who responded to the brush fire before he ultimately shot three of them, killing two, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said during a Monday news conference.
The suspect in the fatal shooting of two firefighters responding to a blaze at Canfield Mountain Sunday appears to have shot himself, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said. Authorities previously said that Wess Roley was found dead and that a weapon was with him.
Firefighters arrived on the scene after getting a 1:20 p.m. call for a brush fire, he said. He approximated that the gunfire began at 1:50 p.m. Norris said they are “still in the process of investigating” and didn’t provide details about the interaction between the shooter and firefighters.
Governor Brad Little reiterated the attack’s classification as “domestic terrorism,” while fire officials expressed devastation that the violence came from someone who once revered their profession. The wounded firefighter is recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.
Key Revelations:
Identity: Wess Roley, Moved from Arizona to Idaho in 2023
Irony: Aspired to be a firefighter, now accused of targeting them
Weapons: High-powered rifles
Current Status: Appears to have shot himself
Family Statement: Grandfather calls actions “complete betrayal”
