ID -Multiple firefighters reportedly shot while responding to fire near Coeur d’Alene

[Gemmie]

The suspect "at one point wanted to be a firefighter," Norris said. "We don't know if there's a nexus between that desire and what happened."

What we know about Idaho firefighters, sniper who ambushed them

The sniper suspect was identified as 20-year-old Wess Roley after an hourslong manhunt ended in the discovery of his body.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Gemmie]

Roley Sr said his grandson was “kind of a loner” and had appeared “highly strung” at times, which he thought was normal behaviour for “kids these days”.

Who is Wess Roley? Idaho shooting suspect, 20, ‘loved firefighters’

Who is the Idaho gunman who allegedly killed two firefighters? Wess Roley, age 20,

www.thetimes.com

 

[MrsWatson]

Gunman’s life went ‘downhill’ in months before fatal attack on Idaho firefighters

Twenty-year-old man had once aspired to be a firefighter and had only minor contacts with area police

www.theguardian.com

*I changed the roommate's name to initials.

Wess Roley was living out of his vehicle and his former roommate, TJ F, said he shaved off his long hair and started to “kind of go downhill”. The two lived together for about six months in Sandpoint, Idaho, until Roley moved out in January, F said on Monday.

When Roley was living with F, his apartment cameras caught Roley throwing gang signs at them, which worried F to the point that he called police.

The landlord also called F one morning because neighbors reported that Roley’s vehicle had been left running for about 12 hours. F said Roley was asleep in his room and said he forgot about the vehicle.

 

[Dotta]

Roley Sr said his grandson was “kind of a loner” and had appeared “highly strung” at times, which he thought was normal behaviour for “kids these days”.

Who is Wess Roley? Idaho shooting suspect, 20, ‘loved firefighters’

Who is the Idaho gunman who allegedly killed two firefighters? Wess Roley, age 20,

www.thetimes.com

This tragedy seems to me the variation of "school shooting".
Reading about the perp is deja vu of all school shooters I have ever read about.
It looks like the same old story.
Sigh

May the Brave Firefighters Rest in Peace.
Sincerest Condolences to Families.

JMO

 

[tlcya]

A keen hunter, the 20-year-old had been working at his father’s tree-cutting service in northern Idaho for the past two summers.
[snip]
After finishing high school, he lived with his grandfather in Oklahoma before moving to Idaho last summer to be close to his father, Jason Roley, who owns a tree-cutting service in Priest River, Idaho, about 40 miles north of Coeur d’Alene.
Who is Wess Roley? Idaho shooting suspect, 20, ‘loved firefighters’

The same father who hasn't seen him since sometime last year at a family gathering? Apparently getting closer geographically, to include working for his company for the previous couple of summers, did not exactly translate into a closeness with his father.

How sad, he seemed to be adrift, and seeking direction. I wish he had found it I wish someone had been able to provide it to him

 

[Gemmie]

The 2 fallen heros:

The firefighter fighting for his life. His wife said he was able to open his eyes today after 2 successful surgeries.

All info above from the video at this link: Fire officials identify firefighters killed in Coeur d'Alene ambush shooting

 

[LadyL]

Can someone give a RDCV? Unavailable in the UK. so annoying.

what does RDCV stand for?

"Wess Roley owned a shotgun and a long rifle,
his grandfather said.

Investigators are confident that a shotgun was used in the Sunday attack,
but have stopped short of ruling out additional firearms.

Officials said it appeared Wess Roley was living out of his vehicle,
which remains on the scene and has not been inventoried.

Court documents show that Roley had a tumultuous family life growing up.

His mother filed for divorce in September 2015, when her son was 10 years old,
and wrote in court documents
that her husband had threatened her, pushed her to the ground, and
'punched several holes in the walls'.

The suspect himself has no criminal history, officials said.

However,
law enforcement in Kootenai County, Idaho,
had minor interactions with him five times."

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/30/us/idaho-fire-shooter-wess-roley

so the grandfather knew he had weapons but the father did not ... strange ...

Two slain Idaho firefighters identified; shooter's father comments on 'horrible' killings

The suspect and victims in the brazen Sunday shooting deaths of two Idaho firefighters have been identified as a pair of battalion chiefs and a 20-year-old whose motivation remains a mystery to investigators.

www.spokesman.com

 

[LadyL]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/30/us/idaho-fire-shooter-wess-roley

Previously lived in California, Arizona and Idaho. Graduated from high school in the Class of 2024 in Arizona.

Was sometimes difficult to get along with.



His father threatened his mother, saying he would sit outside her house and threaten to shoot her with a sniper rifle, so assume this was something that was normal to Roley.

not that it matters but his father said he got his GED

 

[LadyL]

This tragedy seems to me the variation of "school shooting".
Reading about the perp is deja vu of all school shooters I have ever read about.
It looks like the same old story.
Sigh

May the Brave Firefighters Rest in Peace.
Sincerest Condolences to Families.

JMO

I was just thinking the same thing.

 

[Corina]

what does RDCV stand for?

It may be " Readers Digest Condensed Version"

 

[bkgregg5]

There’s a growing risk to firefighters and medics who respond to scenes unarmed, without vests, carrying only oxygen tanks/water hoses and trauma kits. While threats against first responders increase, the public remains largely unaware of how exposed these crews truly are. Unlike police, they arrive without tactical gear or weapons, yet face the same unpredictable dangers. They are so vulnerable. imo

My husband is a BC (same rank as the two murdered) who has been issued a bullet proof vest. I’m not sure what their SOPs are for wearing it - I know where we live firemen are required to wear them when they ride the ambulances. I don’t think my husband wears his regularly.

 

[Trino]

Classic "no criminal record." How man other mentally unstable are out there with the ability to obtain weapons? No accountability.

 

[MrsWatson]

Inside Idaho shooter's disturbing past as a Neo Nazi sympathizer

Idaho gunman Wess Roley, 20, who killed two firefighters, spread Nazi propaganda, bullied classmates, and skipped rent, his ex-roommate told DailyMail.com

www.dailymail.co.uk

The Coeur D'Alene gunman who shot two firefighters dead last weekend complained about having 'problems' with authority and was booted from school in the 10th grade for making violent threats.
Now DailyMail.com can reveal that the baby-faced shooter had a troubled past that included bullying gender-fluid kids at his Arizona high school, making disturbing neo-Nazi comments and posting Holocaust-denying TikTok videos.

More at link.

 

[justtrish]

So I wonder if as a kid he had troubles and when he was finally done with high school (weather GED or graduation), his mom thought it might help him to get closer to his dad, maybe work and have some independence from her home where he likely had all the rules and punishments when he was in trouble as a teen. Maybe she thought this would help ease their relationship and getting closer to his dad could help him with things she couldn't. Then he moves out there and maybe he rebelled against his dad too/didn't' work out living with him so he gets the roommate, but he's having mental issues and things are going on and what he needed was help, but nobody could help him. Mom may not have known dad had no clue and wasn't even regularly seeing him, he could lie to mom about all the things going on and his dad might be the type to just figure he will figure it out.. tough love type. Now he's homeless and directionless and I really do wonder about his mental health. As someone mentioned earlier early 20s is the time for some things to surface in young men. IMO

 

[tlcya]

Inside Idaho shooter's disturbing past as a Neo Nazi sympathizer

Idaho gunman Wess Roley, 20, who killed two firefighters, spread Nazi propaganda, bullied classmates, and skipped rent, his ex-roommate told DailyMail.com

www.dailymail.co.uk

The Coeur D'Alene gunman who shot two firefighters dead last weekend complained about having 'problems' with authority and was booted from school in the 10th grade for making violent threats.
Now DailyMail.com can reveal that the baby-faced shooter had a troubled past that included bullying gender-fluid kids at his Arizona high school, making disturbing neo-Nazi comments and posting Holocaust-denying TikTok videos.

More at link.

and there is is. There were rampant rumors early on about this neo-nazi thing.

 

[Trino]

and there is is. There were rampant rumors early on about this neo-nazi thing.

Rampant rumors, but who did anything?

 

[RedHaus]

More background coming out... from ABC.

Probe into Idaho firefighter ambush suspect digging into childhood, gun familiarity

As officials invesitgate the suspect's possible motive, a former classmate of Wess Roley told ABC News he was someone who talked about Nazism and was "very pro-gun."

abcnews.go.com

 

[subaw0067]

and there is is. There were rampant rumors early on about this neo-nazi thing.

Like I said before, runs in families and runs deep. Especially in N. ID.

 

[xTheTruthIsOutTherex]

People can search and search for answers, but at the end of the day it comes down to the human condition. Young people are empty inside; more then any other time in recorded history. Ask any psychologist and they will tell you.

 

[Gemmie]

The Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber’s “Home of the Brave” parade included nearly 100 entries, with floats, bands, cheerleaders, veterans, dancers and a good number of dogs.

But what started the parade is what led all to stand in silence in a show respect. Two riderless horses representing the lives of fallen firefighters John Morrison and Frank Harwood, who were shot and killed in an ambush attack while responding to an intentionally set fire at Canfield Mountain on Sunday.

A banner had the words, “Forever in our Hearts — Never Forget,” with the men’s names and the date they died, June 29.

A third firefighter, Dave Tysdal, was shot and wounded and remains hospitalized. A banner with his name said, “We Stand With You — Your Fight is Our Fight.”

Tribute to fallen firefighters puts special stamp on Coeur d'Alene's Fourth of July parade

The Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber’s “Home of the Brave” parade included nearly 100 entries, with floats, bands, cheerleaders, veterans, and a good number of dogs. But what started the parade is what led all to stand and applaud: Two riderless horses representing the lives of fallen...

cdapress.com