Wess Roley Coeur d’Alene shooting suspect id as 20 year old sniper who ambushed and killed 2 firefighters, injuring 3rd. No known motive. Holiday photos show gunman recently holidaying with his mother in Hawaii…
The alleged sniper who shot dead two firefighters and wounded a third in an ambush attack on Canfield Mountain just north of Coeur d’Alene over the weekend has been named as 20 year old man, Wess Roley by Idaho authorities
Roley’s body was found near his weapon at the scene of a fire he allegedly started Sunday afternoon, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press on Monday. The shooter’s body was pulled away from the scene just as the blaze began to spread across Canfield Mountain.
It is unclear whether he was killed by a cop’s bullet or took his own life, Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris told a press conference Sunday.
Slain Idaho firefighters id as sniper’s dad insists he never owned a gun
Coeur D’Alene sniper family release statement saying ‘they do not understand’
Coeur d’Alene shooter was perched in a sniper position
No further biographical information including his age, profession, a possible motive, or a photo has been given, CNN reported
The fire was first reported at around 1.21pm. Two local firefighters – one from Coeur d’Alene Fire Department and another from Kootenai County Fire & Rescue – were shot and killed while scoping out the scene. Roley was perched in a sniper position, firing at the firefighters as they sought to put out a fire he’d started in an ambush trap.
A third was left ‘fighting for his life’ after being struck by a bullet and rushed to surgery, but is now described as being in a stable condition.
Coeur D’Alene pastor mentored sniper who recognised he had the devil in him
Coeur d’Alene sniper was transient with no prior criminal history
Wess Val Roley Coeur D’Alene sniper troubled childhood & MAGA parents
‘This was a total ambush. These firefighters did not have a chance,’ Norris said on Sunday.
‘It is believed the gunman was the only shooter in the attack ‘based on the trajectory [of the bullets] and based on the type of weapons that this individual had that we could recover,’ Norris said.
While little (yet to be substantiated) was known about the shooter, Facebook posts from Wess Rolle’s mother, Heather Lynn Kuuipo Cuchiara showed the 20 year old holidaying with her in Hawaii last year.
Read a December 3, 2024 post: ‘Wess and I spent the day at Twin Falls yesterday and he cliff jumped for the first time. The first was from about 25ft and the second was from 40ft! We swam around for a bit then hiked through the rainforest to the other two falls. It was so beautiful!’
Read a May 2nd, 2025 post: ‘Happy 20th birthday to my Wess!! I am so proud of the young man you have become!! I love you my son!’
The suspect’s motive for the shooting remains unclear. An investigation into the shooting will continue today, where Norris said he expects to find more weapons that were left at the scene.
Canfield Mountain, a popular hiking and biking area just outside Coeur d’Alene, became a war zone on Sunday. Its thick vegetation and complex trail system presented both tactical challenges and vulnerabilities for those responding to the emergency.
As the investigation continues, authorities are working to learn more about Roley’s background, motivations, and whether he had any known grievances or warning signs prior to the ambush.
