COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – A community is mourning after a calculated ambush on Canfield Mountain on Sunday, June 29, 2025, left two firefighters dead and a third critically injured. Authorities have identified the assailant as 20-year-old Wess Roley, who was found dead at the scene near his weapon. New details emerging about Roley’s troubled family history and personal life offer a complex picture as investigators work to uncover his motive.
The incident unfolded after a brush fire was intentionally ignited on Canfield Mountain, allegedly as a trap to lure firefighters. Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said at a Sunday night news conference, “We do believe that the suspect started the fire, and we do believe that it was an ambush and it was intentional.” He added, “These firefighters did not have a chance.”
Sheriff Norris confirmed on Monday that Roley had a “discussion” with the firefighters who responded to the 1:20 p.m. call for the brush fire, with gunfire breaking out around 1:50 p.m. Authorities believe Roley took a sniper position, possibly from a tree, opening fire when the the emergency responders arrived. Two firefighters – Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Chief Frank Harwood, 42, and Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Battalion Chief John Morrison, 52 – were fatally shot. Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Engineer Dave Tysdal, 47, was critically injured and is recovering after two surgeries.
Wess Roley, 20 years old, was found dead near his weapons, though the exact cause of his death is yet to be determined. Sheriff Norris indicated that Roley appears to have shot himself. Officers found flint and steel in Roley’s possession, believed to be what he used to start the fire.
Despite the horrific nature of the attack, Roley had no criminal history, according to Sheriff Norris, though local law enforcement had five minor interactions with him, including trespassing and welfare checks.
According to his grandfather, Dale Roley, Wess Roley wanted to be a firefighter and was actively pursuing a career in the field, working in the tree service industry. “He wanted to be a fireman – he was doing tree work and he wanted to be a fireman in the forest,” Dale Roley told CNN. “As far as I know, he was actually pursuing it.” This objective adds a perplexing layer to the motive, which is currently unknown.
Court documents obtained by CNN reveal a troubled family history for Wess Roley. In 2015, when Wess was 10 years old, his mother, Heather Lynn Kuuipo Cuchiara, sought an order of protection against his father, Jason Roley. In her filing, she accused her then-husband of abuse, claiming he had threatened her, pushed her to the ground, and “punched several holes in the walls.” She also wrote in the filing, “He threatened to burn my house down.”
A judge initially granted the protective order, barring Jason Roley from contacting his wife or their son. The order was later amended to remove the son after Jason claimed in a court filing that he posed no danger and that Heather “did not tell the truth in her statement.” The couple divorced in November 2015, with Wess’s mother being granted primary custody.
Wess Roley spent most of his teen years living with his mother in Phoenix, Arizona, where he attended high school. Last summer, he moved to Idaho to be closer to his father. His father, Jason Roley, identified in social media screenshots as a former Army cavalry scout and a member of the Hooligans outlaw biker club, reportedly owns property on Canfield Mountain near the ambush site.
Wess Roley’s stepfather, Tony Cuchiara, released a statement through his attorney expressing the family’s shock and grief. “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.
Unconfirmed reports circulating online suggested Wess Roley was born in Russia and had lived in several U.S. states, including Florida and New York, before relocating to Idaho for work. However, these claims, some citing the Associated Press, have not been substantiated by original AP reports. Roley has lived in California, Arizona, and Idaho, authorities confirmed.
A now-deleted Instagram photo believed to belong to Wess Roley showed him in dark camouflage, dark makeup, and a mask, shared with the song “Hunter” by Björk. Sheriff Norris noted that the suspect’s social media was “wiped,” but he did not know who deleted the posts.
Former classmates of Roley’s from North Phoenix Preparatory Academy in Arizona described him as a struggling student who could be friendly but also seclusive and prone to lashing out in anger. One recalled Roley making rude comments to a teacher, while another mentioned a journal with concerning images of weapons and hate symbols. A third classmate described him as “verbally aggressive” at times, though also friendly and fun. “He would make us laugh so hard,” the classmate said, but added, “it was difficult to play with him… you would take him in doses.”
As the community mourns and investigators continue to process Roley’s vehicle for potential insights into his motive, the Canfield Mountain wildfire, believed to have been ignited by Roley, is currently burning 26 acres and is a “slow process” to contain due to difficult terrain.
