Idaho Wildfire Ambush: Two Firefighters Killed, One Critically Wounded in Coeur d'Alene Attack. A 20-year-old man deliberately set a brush fire, ambushing first responders who asked him to move his vehicle. Kootenai County Sheriff's officials identified the suspect and confirmed the tragic deaths of Battalion Chiefs Frank Harwood and John Morrison, along with critical injuries to Fire Engineer David Tysdal
Idaho Firefighter Ambush: 20-Year-Old Suspect, Wess Roley, Deliberately Set Canfield Mountain Fire to Lure First Responders, Killing Two and Critically Injuring One. The suspect, who had minimal prior police contact, previously aspired to be a firefighter
Sheriff’s officials said crews responded to the fire around 1:30 p.m., and gunshots were reported about a half hour later. After a flurry of gunfire over several hours, during which the FBI responded to the scene with technical teams and tactical support, three victims were brought to Kootenai Health, according to hospital spokesperson Kim Anderson.
Two of the victims were dead on arrival, and the third was stable but “fighting for his life” following surgery, she said.
Officials identified the fatally shot firefighters as Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Frank Harwood, 42, and Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Battalion Chief John Morrison, 52. The wounded firefighter was named as Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Fire Engineer David Tysdal, 47, and officials said he was in critical condition on Monday.
The Associated Press reported that Roley’s body was discovered with a gun in the area nearly six hours after the attack began. Investigators said Roley acted alone in the incident.
Officials said that officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect, and Roley then killed himself.
Some of the suspect’s family members expressed disbelief over the incident, with Roley’s grandfather telling NBC News that “something must have snapped” for his grandson to have unleashed such a vile attack on first responders.
“He actually really respected law enforcement,” Dale Roley told NBC News. “He loved firefighters. It didn’t make sense that he was shooting firefighters. Maybe he got rejected or something.”
Authorities have not yet declared a motive in the shooting.
After a shelter-in-place order was lifted from the area on Sunday, the sheriff’s office warned residents to stay alert and prepared as the fire continued burning.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little called the ambush a “heinous act of violence” while paying tribute to the firefighters in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
“The entire State of Idaho grieves the profound loss of the firefighters killed in the shocking ambush in North Idaho,” Little wrote. “All our public safety officers, especially our firefighters, bravely confront danger on a daily basis but we have never seen a heinous act of violence like this on our firefighters before.”
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The entire State of Idaho grieves the profound loss of the firefighters killed in the shocking ambush in North Idaho. I have ordered flags to fly at half-staff effective immediately.
Please join Teresa and me as we continue to pray for the victims and their loved ones. pic.twitter.com/hUtZbyt3bF
Little added: “This is not Idaho. This indescribable loss is felt deeply by all those in the firefighting community and beyond.”
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