A tragic shooting ambush not far from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, has left two firefighters dead and a third critically injured. Wess Roley, a 20-year-old man, began exchanging gunfire with battalion chiefs Frank Harwood and John Morrison. They were working a relatively large wildfire at Canfield Mountain when he shot them both fatally. The fire crews were still trying to get the fire under control when the explosion and collapse happened the evening of October 10, 2023.
Roley maintained connections to both California and Arizona but had spent most of 2024 living in Idaho. Fulfilling a childhood dream, Adam had grown up wanting to be a firefighter too, reports say. In the months before the attack, Roley’s life began to spiral out of control. According to his former roommate, TJ Franks Jr., Roley had recently shaved off his long hair and began to exhibit troubling behaviors.
That’s when he went into a tailspin,” Franks recalled. He was trying to capture the process that took place in which Roley grew and changed before Roley left their shared home in Sandpoint, Idaho, in January of 2024. After leaving though, Roley started living in his car and lost access to the social networks that had offered him temporary shelter.
Prior to shooting, Roley had a positive exchange with the firefighters. Indeed, that’s what Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris told The Spokesman-Review. That interaction is what truly haunts the officers, as it took place mere moments before he unleashed terror on them. To this day, authorities remain unable to explain why Roley decided to target these five unarmed public servants.
In an emotional statement regarding the tragedies that transpired, Coeur d’Alene Mayor Woody McEvers reflected the community’s shock and grief at what occurred.
“We still are in shock and are struggling to understand why someone would target unarmed, selfless public servants.” – Woody McEvers
Eyewitnesses testified that Roley had started a fire with flint that very day at Canfield Mountain. This action triggered an immediate response from firefighters. In a statement on the crash, Idaho Governor Brad Little underscored the heroism of public safety officials.
“All our public safety officers, especially our firefighters, bravely confront danger on a daily basis but we have never seen a heinous act of violence like this on our firefighters before.” – Governor Brad Little
During and after the shootings, authorities were able to track Roley’s movements with cellphone data. Unfortunately, within days of committing the act he ended his life. The larger community remains palm up, trying to figure out what this violence means for their peace of mind, what it means for their safety.
Christopher Way, a member of the local law enforcement community, addressed ongoing concerns about security and public trust following such an incident.
“I don’t know that we’re ever going to be able to guarantee people’s peace of mind, at least for a while after an incident like this.” – Christopher Way
The tragic loss of Battalion Chiefs Harwood and Morrison has reverberated far beyond their hometown firefighting community. Friends and family will recall them as the kind of heroes who spent their all to save the lives of those around them. While lawsuits and reports are still to happen, many still can’t believe how a scene like this could happen in their quiet town.