The person who authorities consider fatally shot two Idaho firefighters earlier than killing himself had as soon as tried to enter the army and left a observe addressed to his father through which he wrote he would “go into battle,” the Kootenai County sheriff stated Tuesday.
Wess Roley, 20, set a brush fireplace on Canfield Mountain close to Coeur D’Alene on June 29 after which opened fireplace on responding firefighters, authorities stated, in what they’ve described as an ambush. He later killed himself.
Roley had tried to enter the U.S. Military in Arizona in 2023 and once more in Idaho in 2024, however he by no means adopted by on appointments and was disqualified, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Workplace stated in a information convention Tuesday.
He’d additionally entered a Coeur d’Alene fireplace station in Could and requested about changing into a firefighter, believing he’d be capable to begin that day, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris stated.
When informed there was a course of, together with assessments and interviews, Roley turned annoyed, and “it was described to us as he left there in a really, very annoyed and agitated state,” Norris stated.
A handwritten letter was present in Roley’s truck addressed to his father, Norris stated at Tuesday’s information convention. Investigators discovered a drawing at his house of somebody with what seemed to be a shotgun with the phrases “kill kill kill,” he stated.
“Tomorrow I shall go into battle, if I survive it might be with utmost dishonor,” the letter discovered within the truck reads partly, Norris stated, exhibiting a picture of the doc. The letter additionally learn, “I bid thee farewell.”
At round 1 p.m. the day of the taking pictures, Roley “dedicated arson by lighting a collection of fires to provoke a response from native fireplace departments,” Norris stated.
At round 1:40 p.m. firefighters requested Roley to maneuver his truck and “the contact is being described as confrontational,” Norris stated.
At round 1:50 p.m. Roley shot and wounded Coeur d’Alene firefighter/engineer David Tysdal, Norris stated.
“Inside milliseconds” he then fatally shot Coeur d’Alene Fireplace Battalion Chief John Morrison and Kootenai County Fireplace & Rescue Battalion Chief Frank J. Harwood, the sheriff stated.
The firefighters died immediately, Norris stated. Roley’s physique was noticed by a drone at round at round 6:53 p.m. within the closely wooded space, and officers stated he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“This was a premeditated ambush, a pure act of evil towards the folks we glance to for assist,” Norris stated.
The investigation stays ongoing, he stated.
When you or somebody you realize is in disaster, name or textual content 988, or go to 988lifeline.org, to succeed in the Suicide & Disaster Lifeline. You can even name the community, beforehand often known as the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/assets.
