Officials Name Suspect Behind Deadly Firefighter Ambush; Body Discovered on Canfield Mountain After Gunfire Exchange.
Everything We Know So Far About Wess Roley, the Suspect Accused of Ambushing Firefighters in Idaho
Authorities Identify Sniper Found Dead After Setting Fire and Shooting Firefighters
Authorities have identified the sniper who was found dead after allegedly starting a fire and shooting at two firefighters.
A law enforcement official confirmed to USA Today that the suspect’s name was Wes Roley.
Roley is accused of setting a fire on the afternoon of June 29 and then opening fire on two first responders who arrived to extinguish it. Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris stated during a press conference that a third firefighter was also injured in the shooting.
“This was a completely calculated and ambush-style attack,” Norris told reporters. “The firefighters had no chance to defend themselves.”
The sniper’s body was later discovered on Canfield Mountain, a popular hiking and biking area just outside the city of Coeur d’Alene.
Norris explained that cell phone location data helped law enforcement locate both the body and a firearm. The exact cause of the suspect’s death remains unclear, but Norris confirmed there had been an exchange of gunfire with officers.
What We Know About Wess Roley, the Suspected Gunman Behind the Deadly Idaho Sniper Attack?
According to records, 20-year-old Wess Roley was most recently living in Phoenix, Arizona, though he seems to have family in Idaho, roughly an hour away from where the June 29 shooting occurred.
As of now, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office has not shared any information regarding a possible motive.
A Detailed Look at What Unfolded During the Shocking Attack on Canfield Mountain in Idaho
Sheriff Norris shared that at 1:21 p.m. local time, someone called in to report a fire on the east side of Canfield Mountain. The caller has not been linked to the shooter.
Firefighters responded to the scene, and by 2 p.m., they reported that shots had been fired. When officers arrived, they engaged in a shootout with the suspect, according to Norris.