The suspect who started a raging wildfire in Coeur d'Alene, ID, on Sunday afternoon just to “ambush” emergency responders has been identified as 20-year-old Wess Roley.Two firefighters were shot dead and a third injured while responding to the wildfire that was started by the same man who shot them. Officials Sunday night confirmed the suspect is dead. .As the gunfire continued for several hours, local police imposed a shelter-in-place order, which was lifted upon discovering Roley’s body on Canfield Mountain through a tactical response team’s use of cellphone data to geolocate the suspect. There was a firearm nearby.Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said the discovery was made as flames of the wildfire rapidly approached, according to the Associated Press. Roley's body had apparently been dragged away from the blaze as it spread across the mountain..“We do believe that the suspect started the fire, and we do believe that it was an ambush and it was intentional,” said Norris at a press conference Sunday night.“These firefighters did not have a chance.”Emergency crews responded to a fire at Canfield Mountain, just north of Coeur d’Alene, around 1:30 p.m. local time, and gunshots were reported about a half hour later..“We believe that was the only shooter that was on that mountain at that time,” Norris said.Norris said it was not yet clear whether the gunman was killed by a police officer’s bullet, or if he took his own life. He also confirmed the sniper had concealed himself in the mountain range and used a high-powered rifle.Officers were instructed to shoot back..FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino confirmed Sunday night the FBI responded to the scene, bringing technical teams and tactical support.. Kootenai Health hospital spokesperson Kim Anderson told the AP three victims were brought in, two dead on arrival and the third was being treated for injuries.The injured firefighter was “fighting for his life” after surgery and was in stable condition.Recordings of first responders making urgent calls for help on their radios have circulated on social media.“Everybody’s shot up here ... send law enforcement now,” one dispatch can be heard saying.. Gov. Brad Little said “multiple” firefighting personnel were attacked, reported the AP.“This is a heinous direct assault on our brave firefighters,” Little said on X.“I ask all Idahoans to pray for them and their families as we wait to learn more.”. The Idaho House Republican Leadership said in a statement: “We are horrified by the murder of two firefighters in Coeur d’Alene, and shocked by such a vicious attack on our first responders. We are praying for them, the injured, their families and their colleagues.”
