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.
Crime
Angela Johnson and Her Son DeAngelo Johnson Killed After Shooting Inside Home in Chicago, Mother’s Boyfriend in Custody
CHICAGO — A 47-year-old mother and her 27-year-old son were fatally shot inside a residence in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood on the West Side late Thursday night, September 24, 2026, according to Chicago police.
The victims were identified as Angela Johnson, 47, and DeAngelo Johnson, 27. Police said a suspect, identified as Angela Johnson’s boyfriend, was taken into custody following the shooting.
The deadly shooting happened in the 800 block of North Parkside Avenue at approximately 10:43 p.m. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots coming from the basement of the residence and called 911.
When Chicago police officers arrived, they found the two victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Angela Johnson was found in the basement with a gunshot wound to her chest. Police-radio traffic indicated she had been shot on the right side of her chest.
DeAngelo Johnson was found on the first floor with multiple gunshot wounds. Radio traffic indicated that he had suffered two gunshot wounds to his back.
Both victims were initially unresponsive and in critical condition. Emergency personnel performed CPR on DeAngelo Johnson before both victims were transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
According to police-radio traffic, one victim was pronounced dead at approximately 11:18 p.m., while the male victim was pronounced dead around 11:21 p.m.
Investigators found extensive evidence inside the residence, including approximately 23 shell casings in a basement bedroom. Additional shell casings were reportedly recovered in other areas of the basement, including the stairway, main room and bedroom.
Officers initially recovered a firearm and shell casings from the basement bedroom. Police later located a second firearm inside the home, bringing the total number of recovered firearms to two.
Authorities have not publicly stated who owned the firearms or confirmed which weapon, if either, was used in the fatal shooting.
Police also reported that DeAngelo Johnson was wearing an empty holster when officers found him on the first floor. That discovery prompted an officer-safety alert as officers searched the residence for the missing firearm.
Chicago police said the shooting appeared to be domestic-related and identified the alleged offender as the mother’s boyfriend.
Radio traffic indicated that a person had been detained by approximately 11:26 p.m. The official police report later confirmed that the known offender was taken into custody.
Two witnesses were reportedly available to identify the alleged offender, and officers conducted a show-up identification procedure near the scene.
Police have not released additional information about potential charges against the suspect.
The investigation into the Chicago Austin neighborhood double shooting remains ongoing. Detectives are continuing to examine the circumstances that led to the shooting, the relationship between the people involved and the role of the two recovered firearms.
The deaths of Angela Johnson and DeAngelo Johnson are being investigated as a double homicide.