Suspect in deadly taking pictures of Idaho firefighters left word about going ‘into battle’

The person who authorities imagine fatally shot two Idaho firefighters earlier than killing himself had as soon as tried to enter the navy and left a word addressed to his father during which he wrote he would “go into battle,” the Kootenai County sheriff mentioned Tuesday.

Wess Roley, 20, set a brush fireplace on Canfield Mountain close to Coeur D’Alene on June 29 after which opened fireplace on responding firefighters, authorities mentioned, in what they’ve described as an ambush. He later killed himself.

Roley had tried to enter the U.S. Military in Arizona in 2023 and once more in Idaho in 2024, however he by no means adopted by way of on appointments and was disqualified, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned in a information convention Tuesday.

He’d additionally entered a Coeur d’Alene fireplace station in Might and requested about changing into a firefighter, believing he’d have the ability to begin that day, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris mentioned.

When instructed there was a course of, together with checks and interviews, Roley grew to become annoyed, and “it was described to us as he left there in a really, very annoyed and agitated state,” Norris mentioned.

A handwritten letter was present in Roley’s truck addressed to his father, Norris mentioned at Tuesday’s information convention. Investigators discovered a drawing at his residence of somebody with what seemed to be a shotgun with the phrases “kill kill kill,” he mentioned.

“Tomorrow I shall go into battle, if I survive it will be with utmost dishonor,” the letter discovered within the truck reads partially, Norris mentioned, displaying a picture of the doc. The letter additionally learn, “I bid thee farewell.”

At round 1 p.m. the day of the taking pictures, Roley “dedicated arson by lighting a sequence of fires to provoke a response from native fireplace departments,” Norris mentioned.

At round 1:40 p.m. firefighters requested Roley to maneuver his truck and “the contact is being described as confrontational,” Norris mentioned.

At round 1:50 p.m. Roley shot and wounded Coeur d’Alene firefighter/engineer David Tysdal, Norris mentioned.

“Inside milliseconds” he then fatally shot Coeur d’Alene Fireplace Battalion Chief John Morrison and Kootenai County Fireplace & Rescue Battalion Chief Frank J. Harwood, the sheriff mentioned.

The firefighters died immediately, Norris mentioned. Roley’s physique was noticed by a drone at round at round 6:53 p.m. within the closely wooded space, and officers mentioned he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“This was a premeditated ambush, a pure act of evil in opposition to the folks we glance to for assist,” Norris mentioned.

The investigation stays ongoing, he mentioned.

Should you or somebody you understand is in disaster, name or textual content 988, or go to 988lifeline.org, to succeed in the Suicide & Disaster Lifeline. You too can name the community, beforehand often called the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/assets.