Suspect in fatal shooting of Idaho firefighters turned away by US military, sheriff says Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY July 24, 2025 at 4:11 PM The man suspected of fatally shooting two Idaho firefighters in an ambush before killing himself last month was turned away by the U.S.
- - Suspect in fatal shooting of Idaho firefighters turned away by US military, sheriff says
Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY July 24, 2025 at 4:11 PM
The man suspected of fatally shooting two Idaho firefighters in an ambush before killing himself last month was turned away by the U.S. military and had left drawings that appeared to show his plans for the attack, authorities said July 22.
Wess Roley, 20, is accused of intentionally sparking a brush fire and ambushing responding firefighters, fatally shooting two and injuring a third, in rural Idaho on June 29. He later killed himself, and his body was found on Canfield Mountain, a popular destination for outdoor recreation near the city of Coeur d'Alene.
During a news conference on July 22, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris shared new details on the investigation into the deadly shooting that left local authorities and community members reeling. The county sheriff called the attack a "premeditated ambush — a pure act of evil against the people we look to for help."
Norris noted that Roley had a history of work performance issues with a previous employer and that he had attempted to join the military twice. He had tried to join the U.S. Army in Arizona in 2023 and again in Idaho between June 2024 and April 2025, but was disqualified after failing to follow through on tasks and appointments, the sheriff said.
Roley left behind a handwritten letter addressed to Roley's father, who was an Army veteran, in his truck, according to Norris. The letter was written the day before the ambush.
"Tomorrow, I shall go to battle," Roley wrote in the letter, according to Norris. "If I survive, it would be with upmost dishonor. I bid thee farewell."
Authorities have not released a possible motive in the shooting, but Norris said investigators also found several drawings in Roley's apartment that appear to portray his plans for the attack. The drawings included a depiction of a Canfield Mountain parking lot and a shotgun being fired with the words "kill kill kill," according to the sheriff.
Roley used gas, compact lighters, and flint to ignite a series of fires on Canfield Mountain on the afternoon of June 29 to initiate a response from local fire departments, Norris said. He then opened fire at responding firefighters who asked him to move his truck before shooting at others from a tree.
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Idaho shooting suspect also tried to join a local fire department
Authorities have said Roley had expressed interest in becoming a firefighter but were trying to determine whether there was a connection "between that desire and what happened." The suspect's grandfather, Dale Roley, also previously told NBC News that "he loved firefighters."
"It didn't make sense that he was shooting firefighters. Maybe he got rejected or something," Dave Roley said, according to the news outlet.
At the July 22 news conference, Norris said investigators had learned that Roley entered a Coeur d'Alene fire station in May and inquired about becoming a firefighter. He believed he would be able to join the station that day, but became angry when he was told he would need to go through testing, interviews, and training, the sheriff said.
"The contact became agitated and frustrated, and it was described to us as he left there in a very frustrated and agitated state," Norris said at the news conference.
Sketching swastikas and 'edgy' jokes: Idaho shooter not typical loner
Who is Wess Roley?
Roley was born in California before moving to Arizona, where he attended school, according to Norris. He later moved to Priest River, Idaho, in 2024 to work with family, the sheriff added.
Before the shooting, Norris said Roley spent the last six months living a "transient style" in various locations in Kootenai County.
Roley's former classmates previously told USA TODAY that they were surprised by the attack on firefighters. They described him as an "edgy" and funny kid who constantly talked about politics and was interested in history, but who also had a darker side.
His classmates also said Roley had "Nazi tendencies" in school, drew pictures of guns and swastikas, and was "obsessed with guns."
"He would say things from time to time that were just unhinged," said Dieter Denen, who attended elementary, middle, and high schools with Roley. "We all thought he was messing around."
Contributing: Will Carless and Chris Kenning
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deadly Idaho shooting: Suspect left letter about going 'into battle'
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