Wess Roley, a 20-year-old man from Idaho, has been identified as the primary suspect in the tragic Coeur d’Alene firefighter shooting that left two firefighters dead and one injured. The incident occurred Sunday in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and ended in the apparent suicide of the suspect.
Authorities believe Wess Roley intentionally started a brush fire using a flint fire starter and then ambushed first responders from a tree, using skills he developed growing up in a family of arborists. According to officials, he opened fire with a shotgun—although additional weapons may have been involved.
Who Was Wess Roley?
According to his grandfather, Dale Roley, the suspect had once aspired to become a firefighter himself. He was working in the tree service industry and had expressed genuine interest in joining the fire service, particularly in forest firefighting.
“He wanted to be a fireman… He was doing tree work and seemed serious about it,” said Dale Roley in an interview with CNN.Although Wess Roley was reportedly living out of his vehicle at the time of the incident, his family insists he was not a loner and had an active social life. He had vacationed in Hawaii with his mother in the previous year and maintained regular contact with his grandfather until recently losing his phone.
Background and Personal Life of Wess Roley
- Hometown: Roley previously resided in California, Arizona, and Idaho.
- Education: A school website indicates he ran track in Arizona and was part of the class of 2024.
- Behavioral History: Former classmates described Roley as socially distant, with occasional bursts of verbal aggression, though he could also be humorous and engaging in group settings.
- Firearm Ownership: He owned a long rifle and a shotgun, the latter of which is believed to have been used in the shooting.
Family History and Emotional Turmoil
Court documents reveal that Wess Roley experienced a turbulent family life. In 2015, his mother filed for divorce, citing threats and violence from her then-husband. Although a protective order was granted, it was partially lifted following court claims by Roley’s father that he posed no threat to his son.“We do not understand why this happened or how this came about,” said Tony Cuchiara, Roley’s stepfather, in a family statement expressing heartbreak and confusion.
Law Enforcement Interactions
Although Wess Roley had no prior criminal history, Kootenai County law enforcement reported five minor encounters with him. Authorities confirmed he had lived in Coeur d’Alene for most of 2024 but remain uncertain about his specific intentions or movements leading up to the attack.
Witness Accounts: No Clear Motive
Former roommate TJ Franks, who lived with Wess Roley in Sandpoint, Idaho, for six months, shared that Roley displayed disturbing behavior prior to moving out in January. Franks recalled an unsettling incident where Roley made threatening gestures toward a security camera, prompting a 911 call.
Despite their time living together, Franks says there were no signs pointing to a violent motive.
“It’s really heartbreaking and scary… I never thought we would see something like this happening,” he said.
Idaho Firefighter Shooting: What Happened?
On Sunday, firefighters responded to a brush fire in Coeur d’Alene, unaware that they were walking into an ambush. According to police, Wess Roley fired on them from a tree, leveraging his climbing skills. Two firefighters were killed, a third was injured, and Roley was later found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
