Crime
Coeur d’Alene Ambush Suspect Wess Roley wanted to be a firefighter
Idaho shooter shot at firefighters from up in a tree.
COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO – The man accused of fatally ambushing two firefighters on Canfield Mountain in northern Idaho once harbored aspirations of becoming a firefighter himself, according to family members and law enforcement officials.
The suspect, identified as 20-year-old Wess Roley, was found deceased at the scene of the ambush-style attack on Sunday, June 30, after allegedly setting a brush fire to lure first responders to the area.
Two firefighters were killed in the attack, and a third was injured.
Preliminary evidence suggests Roley died by suicide.
Wess Roley was born in California and also lived in Arizona and Idaho.
Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris confirmed Monday that Roley had previously expressed an interest in a firefighting career. “At one point, it appears Mr. Roley wanted to be a firefighter,” Norris said during a press briefing. “There is no known manifesto or clear motive at this time.”
Roley’s grandfather, Dale Roley, told reporters that his grandson came from a family of arborists and had been working in the tree services industry while contemplating his future. “He wanted to be a fireman—he was doing tree work and he wanted to be a fireman in the forest,” he said. “As far as I know, he was actually pursuing it.”
The suspect was reportedly in possession of a shotgun and a long rifle, though authorities have not confirmed whether those specific weapons were used in the ambush.
Sheriff Norris stated that rifled shotgun slugs and other smaller munitions were recovered at the scene, indicating a sniper-style assault. Investigators also recovered a flint fire starter on Roley’s body, believed to have been used to ignite the blaze that drew firefighters to the area.
Sheriff Norris further disclosed that there was some form of verbal interaction between Roley and the firefighters before the shooting began, though details of that exchange remain under investigation.
Public records and court documents suggest that Roley had a troubled upbringing. His parents divorced in 2015, when he was 10 years old.
In her petition, Roley’s mother accused his father of domestic violence, alleging that he had pushed her to the ground, punched holes in the walls, and threatened to burn down the house or use a sniper rifle against her.
A protective order was issued by the court, initially including Wess Roley, though it was later amended to allow contact between father and son after the father claimed he posed no threat.
Roley had previously lived in the Phoenix, Arizona area and, according to social media posts, had vacationed in Hawaii with his mother last year.
His grandfather said they typically spoke weekly, but had not been in contact in the past month due to Wess losing his phone. Investigators believe Roley may have been living in his vehicle at the time of the attack.
Authorities continue to investigate the case, and no clear motive has been established.
Sheriff Norris reiterated that there is currently no evidence suggesting the presence of a manifesto or political motivation behind the deadly ambush.
MT. JULIET, Tenn. — Authorities have identified two victims killed during an active shooter incident at Cedar Creek Marina in Mt. Juliet late Friday night.
The suspect, identified as Gary Haley, a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history, is deceased following an officer-involved shooting, officials confirmed.
Mount Juliet Police officers were dispatched at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday to the Cedar Creek Marina, located in the 9000 block of Saundersville Road, after receiving reports of a man threatening another individual on the docks.
Due to the active shooter report, a shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area as a precaution.
Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound.
The victim was later identified as Robby Brogdon, who was transported to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Despite life-saving efforts, Brogdon later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators determined that the suspected shooter had retreated to a boat within the marina and had barricaded himself inside.
The standoff continued for several hours as officers secured the scene and attempted to resolve the situation safely.
At approximately 1:00 a.m. Saturday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reported that the suspect engaged responding officers and fired shots at them under circumstances that remain under investigation. Officers returned fire.
The suspect, Gary Haley, was later found deceased aboard the vessel.
During the course of the response, officers also discovered a second adult male victim, Nathan Jones, who had been shot by the suspect.
Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has assumed responsibility for the investigation, which includes a homicide, an attempted homicide, and an officer-involved shooting.
TBI agents are actively conducting interviews, collecting evidence, and working to establish a comprehensive timeline of events.
Upon completion of the investigation, findings will be submitted to 15th Judicial District Attorney General Jason Lawson for review.
Authorities stated that additional information will be released as it becomes available.