Because the investigation into the lethal firefighter ambush in Idaho over the weekend continues, police are nonetheless attempting to piece collectively why suspect Wess Roley allegedly instigated the assault, a supply acquainted instructed ABC Information.
Regulation enforcement officers recognized Roley because the suspected gunman after he was discovered useless on Canfield Mountain with a shotgun close by.
Two firefighters have been killed — Frank Harwood, 42, a battalion chief with the Kootenai County Hearth & Rescue Division and John Morrison, 52, battalion chief of the Coeur d’Alene Hearth Division — and one other firefighter, Dave Tysdal, of the Coeur d’Alene Hearth Division, was injured whereas responding to the comb hearth, which officers imagine Roley purposely began earlier than the ambush.
Battalion Chief John Morrison, of the Coeur d’Alene Hearth Division (left) and Battalion Chief Frank Harwood, of the Kootenai Hearth & Rescue Division
Courtesy IAFF seventh District
A part of the investigation into Roley’s background is specializing in his childhood in Arizona, the place he lived along with his mom and stepfather, the sources mentioned.
Authorities have spoken with a few of Roley’s speedy household, although it is unclear what they’ve mentioned, the supply added.
Police in Idaho have publicly said that they imagine Roley acted alone and that they do not imagine the assault on firefighters had any connection to terrorism.
Rising up round firearms
The supply accustomed to the investigation, nevertheless, mentioned that authorities realized Roley grew up with a household that had firearms and felt snug dealing with them. The supply mentioned Roley’s stepfather lawfully possessed many firearms.
Images posted to the Fb and Instagram accounts of Roley’s mom and stepfather, reviewed by ABC Information, mirror that familiarity with firearms.
Practically half of Arizona residents personal firearms, based on Everytown Analysis and Coverage.
Authorities shared a picture of a social media publish of suspect Wess Roley throughout a press convention in Hayden, Idaho, June 30, 2025.
ABC Information
In an interview with ABC Information on Tuesday, a former classmate of Roley’s mentioned that whereas the alleged sniper was all the time “actually completely different,” he nonetheless has “a tough time attempting to correlate the identical Wess that I grew up with to the Wess that did what he did.”
“I do not know why he did it, and it is — it is surprising to me,” mentioned the previous classmate Dieter, who did not need his final identify used publicly. “It is one thing that villains do, plain and easy.”
Dieter described Wess Roley as somebody who was unusually outspoken within the strident methods he would defend his views.
Extremist views in highschool
Dieter claimed Roley was somebody who talked about Nazism, who was “very pro-gun,” who spoke of wanting to affix the army, who would typically make drawings of bombs and army autos and who allegedly acquired in bother as soon as for drawing swastikas in a textbook.
Roley would additionally say “terrible issues” associated to the border disaster, Dieter mentioned. Dieter mentioned he and his associates would brush off all of the feedback as “Wess simply being Wess,” attempting to say outlandish issues to be “edgy” and stand out.
Dieter mentioned Roley by no means spoke a lot about his household or his background, besides he allegedly typically claimed to have been born in Germany and to be extra German and “extra patriotic” than others.
Two persons are useless after firefighters have been ambushed by a gunman whereas responding to a brush hearth in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, officers mentioned.
KXLY
In line with Dieter, he and Wess have been “by no means shut,” however they have been a part of the identical good friend group — going to highschool collectively within the Phoenix space starting in late elementary college and persevering with till sophomore yr of highschool, when Dieter moved to Colorado.
Throughout their freshman yr of highschool, nevertheless, Dieter claimed Roley “undoubtedly was changing into extra sort of unhinged in what he would say… and what he thought was proper.”
Roley’s household’s legal professional, Justin P. Whittenton, shared a press release on behalf of the household on Monday, saying they “intend to totally cooperate with authorities in looking for solutions.”
Two persons are useless after firefighters have been ambushed by a gunman, or a number of gunmen, whereas responding to a brush hearth in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, officers mentioned.
KXLY
“Presently, we, the household of Wess Roley want to provide our most heartfelt condolences to the households of these whose lives have been taken and to the neighborhood of Coeur d’Alene at massive,” the household mentioned within the assertion.
“There aren’t any phrases that may suffice for this tragedy and the infinite losses suffered by these affected by this capturing. We don’t perceive why this occurred or how this happened,” the household added.
ABC Information has reached out to Roley’s mom and stepfather for additional remark, however didn’t instantly hear again.
