Police Identify Suspect and Two Victims in Fatal Ambush of Firefighters in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho — Details

Kootenai County officials revealed in a press conference on Monday, June 30, 2025, that they have identified the suspect as 20-year-old Wess Val Roley. The case has since led to new findings as investigators examine his background and continue searching for a motive.

Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris said that County Coroner Duke Johnson was the one who identified the suspect, who was born May 1, 2005. They believed that Wess deliberately set the wildfire and then ambushed firefighters as they arrived on the scene.

The attack resulted in the deaths of two senior fire officials — Frank Harwood and John Morrison — and critically injured another firefighter, Dave Tysdal.

Harwood and Morrison served as battalion chiefs for Kootenai County Fire Rescue (KCFR) and the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department (CDFD), respectively. Tysdal is an engineer with CDFD.

Harwood spent 17 years with KCFR. He was a U.S. Army National Guard veteran, a farmer, and a father of two. He was widely respected for his leadership as a shift commander.

Morrison joined CDFD in 1996 and served for more than 28 years. He held positions including paramedic, engineer, captain, and, most recently, commander of the Blue Shift. Morrison was a longtime member of the department and deeply respected throughout the community.

Tysdal, who survived the ambush, has undergone two surgeries and remains in critical condition at Kootenai Health Hospital, according to Fire Chief Tom Greif. “Dave is surrounded by his family, and he is able to open his eyes and the two surgeries have gone well,” Greif said, reading a statement from the family.

Details of the search and discovery emerged as authorities worked to secure the area and confirm the suspect’s actions. The ambush unfolded on Sunday, June 29, when first responders were lured into a deadly trap.

Around 300 law enforcement personnel, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Idaho National Guard, were involved in the response. Two helicopters carrying law enforcement snipers were also deployed to assist in the manhunt.

Around 7:40 p.m., a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team located a “deceased male” on Canfield Mountain after tracking a cellphone signal. A firearm was found nearby. “We have one dead shooter,” Norris said. “There is no threat to the community at this time.” Authorities later said it appeared the suspect had shot himself.

Norris said investigators believe Wess acted alone, based on the weapons recovered and the trajectory of the gunfire. They reportedly found him with a flint fire starter — believed to have been used to ignite the blaze — and the weapon used in the attack.

The wildfire has burned approximately 26 acres. “It’s very difficult terrain to get assets, ground assets up there,” Norris recalled. “Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) is putting a lot of water on it from aerial supports, so that’s going rather well.”

Norris explained that investigators believe the wildfire was deliberately started as a trap, intended to draw firefighters into a pre-planned ambush. He emphasized that the responders had no opportunity to defend themselves due to the element of surprise.

As investigators continue to search for a motive, Wess’s digital footprint offered a glimpse into his state of mind before the attack.

According to ABC15 News, no manifesto has been found, and Wess’s social media accounts were wiped. Officials shared a now-deleted Instagram story showing him wearing dark camouflage and a mask with the song “Hunter” by Björk playing in the background. He appeared to be carrying ammunition.

Hours before the ambush, Wess posted what appeared to be a final image of himself wearing camouflage and a mask, along with a belt of rifle shells. The Instagram story featured the lyrics, “I’m going hunting,” from the same Björk song, according to the New York Post.

Authorities are still investigating a motive and have not ruled out further evidence being found in Wes’s vehicle, which remains at the scene and has not yet been inventoried.

Beyond his online presence, witnesses and officials have described a pattern of erratic behavior leading up to the shooting. Wess had ties to California and Arizona and had been living in Idaho “for the better part of 2024,” Norris said. “But as far as when he got here, why he was here, why he chose this place — I don’t know.”

He previously lived in Sandpoint, Idaho, with a former roommate, T.J. Franks Jr., who said Wess worked for a tree service but began acting erratically — throwing gang signs at apartment cameras and later shaving off his long hair. “We just kind of noticed him starting to decline or kind of go downhill,” Franks shared.

Authorities confirmed past non-criminal interactions with Wess, including trespassing and a welfare check. They also believe he had been living out of his vehicle.

Statements from Wess’s family members describe the young man with aspirations but also a troubled background. His grandfather, Dale Roley, revealed, “He wanted to be a fireman – he was doing tree work and he wanted to be a fireman in the forest. As far as I know, he was actually pursuing it.”

Dale said they typically spoke weekly, but had lost contact after Wess lost his phone. “It wasn’t like he was a loner. We had no reason to suspect that he would be involved in something like this,” he added.

Court documents also reveal a turbulent family history. In 2015, Wess’s mother filed for divorce, citing threats and abuse by her then-husband. A protective order was issued but later modified to allow father-son contact. Wess’s mom was granted primary custody.

Wess’s stepfather, Tony Cuchiara, released a statement through an attorney expressing the family’s shock. “We do not understand why this happened or how this came about. Our hearts and spirits are broken for the lost and hurting, and for our own loss as well,” the statement read.

As previously reported, two firefighters were killed and several others injured after gunmen ambushed first responders battling a brush fire on Canfield Mountain, according to authorities.

Fire crews responded to the blaze around 1:30 p.m. local time. Shortly after they arrived, unknown attackers opened fire from wooded terrain, striking both firefighters and law enforcement officers, Norris confirmed.

The victims were identified as fire personnel, but their names had not been released at the time. Officials had issued a shelter-in-place order for the Canfield Mountain Trailhead and nearby areas.

Civilians were seen evacuating and may have been caught between the flames and the gunfire. A police helicopter was dispatched to assist, but could not land due to the active shooting and difficult terrain.

Kootenai County Sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Howard reportedly said that investigators are actively examining whether someone intentionally set the fire to draw first responders to the scene. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has joined the investigation and is searching for suspects.

As the investigation developed, NBC News reported that firefighters responded to what officials believe was an intentionally set fire. Authorities told the outlet that “ambush” accurately describes what happened to those first at the scene, and a federal official said early indications support that conclusion.

Emergency radio transmissions obtained by NBC revealed the chaotic response. One voice reported, “Two battalion chiefs down, two officers injured.”

Another warned, “I have no idea where the shooters [are] at or where they’re going, in which direction. I would recommend that our units, all of our firing units, escape further down the pavement towards town, maybe a half a mile or so to a safe staging area.”

A third reportedly said, “We’re going to need multiple ambulances for ALS care. As soon as we can get law enforcement in here to get these people out, I recommend we get no less than five, five ambulances staged at the bottom. I don’t care where we get them from.”

The scale and severity of the attack quickly drew national attention. Edward A. Kelly, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, confirmed on X that IAFF members were targeted in a sniper attack.

He said two were killed and one remains in surgery. He urged the public to keep the victims, their families, and responders in their thoughts.

In a related response, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, in a separate post on X, thanked FBI agents working on the ground and said officials are praying for those affected.

Meanwhile, Idaho Governor Brad Little also addressed the attack on the same platform, calling it a “heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters.”

He said he and his wife were heartbroken and urged Idahoans to pray for the victims and avoid the area to allow emergency crews to operate safely.