Suspect Identified in Idaho 'Ambush' That Left 2 Firefighters Dead

The suspect accused of fatally shooting two firefighters and injuring a third as they responded to a wildfire report in Idaho has been identified by authorities.

The suspected gunman was identified as 20-year-old Wess Roley, law enforcement sources told the Associated Press, the New York Times, and NBC News. He was found dead next to a weapon on the Canfield Mountain in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on Sunday, June 29.

Officials said he deliberately set the fire to ambush first responders who were met by gunfire around 2 p.m. that day. Tactical teams and helicopters were deployed, and nearby residents were ordered to shelter in place.

According to CNN, Roley’s grandfather said the suspect wanted to be a firefighter and worked in the tree service industry. “As far as I know, he was actually pursuing it,” Dale Roley said, per the outlet.

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Dale added to NBC News, “He actually really respected law enforcement. He loved firefighters. It didn’t make sense that he was shooting firefighters. Maybe he got rejected or something.”

Authorities believe the suspect acted alone and have yet to share a possible motive for the violence. Using cell phone data, authorities located the suspect’s body near the scene around 3:15 p.m., NBC News and CNN reported. It’s unclear if he died by suicide or during a police shootout. The investigation remains ongoing.

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Officials have yet to release the names of the two firefighters who died. A third was in stable condition as of Sunday night after being treated at a local hospital, per CNN.

“This was a total ambush,” Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said at a press conference Sunday night, per USA Today. “These firefighters did not have a chance.”