By MARTHA BELLISLE
The person accused of fatally capturing two Idaho firefighters earlier than killing himself final month had tried to hitch the fireplace division, and have become indignant when informed he would wish to undergo coaching and testing.
Wess Roley additionally tried to hitch the Military twice — his father was an Military veteran — however was disqualified after failing to observe via on duties and appointments, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris stated Tuesday at a press convention.
The brand new revelations provide a extra full image of the 20-year-old’s resentments. Officers additionally introduced proof suggesting the assault was premeditated — a goodbye letter to his father they present in his truck and drawings in his residence that seem to point out a mountain car parking zone with a shotgun being fired and an individual aiming a rifle at his chin.
“Tomorrow, I shall go to battle,” Roley wrote to his father. “If I survive, it could be with upmost dishonor. I bid thee farewell.” Subsequent to his signature have been two symbols that seem like runes linked to Nazi ideology.
Roley used gasoline, lighters and flint to start out a sequence of fires at Canfield Mountain on June 29 to instigate a response, then shot at firefighters who requested him to maneuver his car, Norris stated. He shot at others from a tree earlier than dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the sheriff stated.
‘A pure act of evil’
“This was a premeditated ambush, a pure act of evil in opposition to the folks we glance to for assist,” Norris stated.
Killed have been Kootenai County Fireplace and Rescue Battalion Chief Frank Harwood, 42, and Coeur d’Alene Fireplace Division Battalion Chief John Morrison, 52. Coeur d’Alene Fireplace Engineer David Tysdal, 47, was hospitalized in essential situation.
Investigators hope to study extra from Roley’s social media accounts, but it surely’s clear that his frustrations have been rising over time, the sheriff stated.
Roley tried to turn out to be a soldier in Arizona in 2023 and once more final 12 months in Hayden, Idaho, “however did not observe via on duties and appointments, ultimately being disqualified by the U.S. Military,” Norris stated.
Then, one month earlier than the shootings, Roley went to a Coeur d’Alene fireplace station asking about turning into a firefighter, Norris stated.
“He had the way of thinking that he would be capable of begin that day,” Norris stated. “He was informed there’s a course of — you’ve gotten a written examination, and a bodily agility and a background investigation and an oral interview. The contact grew to become agitated and pissed off. He left there in a really pissed off and agitated state.”
Former classmate recollects shooter as aggressive
Past what the sheriff shared, little is understood about Roley’s motivation, however Related Press interviews and court docket data reveal a troubled early residence life and a disconnect from schoolmates, who noticed him as an aggressive younger man who favored to attract bombs and use firearms.
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Flowers are seen on the Fallen Heroes Plaza at Cherry Hill Park close to the scene the day after a shooter ambushed and killed firefighters responding to a wildfire at Canfield Mountain Monday, June 30, 2025, in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho. (AP Photograph/Lindsey Wasson)
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Flowers are seen on the Fallen Heroes Plaza at Cherry Hill Park close to the scene the day after a shooter ambushed and killed firefighters responding to a wildfire at Canfield Mountain Monday, June 30, 2025, in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho. (AP Photograph/Lindsey Wasson)
Roley lived along with his mom, Heather Caldwell-Cuchiara, and stepfather in Phoenix, Arizona, earlier than transferring to northern Idaho to dwell along with his father, Jason Roley, in 2024.
Dieter Denen, who went to elementary, center and highschool with Roley, informed the AP that Roley’s aggression and “racist” feedback made classmates uncomfortable.
“He was actually on edge lots,” Denen stated. Roley would say unkind or impolite issues to folks of a unique race, tradition or faith, he stated. “You’d type of go, ‘what the heck — why would you say that — it’s a little bit messed as much as say that,” he stated.
Roley bought in hassle for drawing a swastika in a college ebook, and likewise favored to attract bombs, planes and “army issues,” Denen stated. Roley additionally bragged about his time in Germany: “He would at all times inform me, ”I’m much more German in each manner in comparison with you.”
Denen stated he couldn’t consider it when a buddy texted an article in regards to the shootings.
“It’s simply so surprising,” Denen stated. “With Wess, he was undoubtedly totally different after we have been youthful but it surely’s exhausting to suppose that anybody may ever do one thing like that.”
Mom bought safety order in opposition to his father
Court docket data present his dad and mom, Heather and Jason Roley, have been married in San Bernardino, California, in 2008. Jason Roley served within the Military from 2007 to 2015, together with two excursions in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, and left the service as a employees sergeant, an Military spokesperson stated.
The household lived in Grafenwöhr, Germany, residence to a big U.S. Military base, from 2010 to 2015, when Wess Roley was 5 to 10 years outdated. Data present his mom filed for divorce after they moved to Phoenix and sought a safety order saying Jason Roley posed a menace to her and their son. Her petition stated he was an alcoholic and had been arrested for assaulting her on Oct. 1, 2015.
“He was very intoxicated,” she wrote. “He was crying inconsolably saying that he was going to commit suicide. Issues escalated. He punched a number of holes within the partitions, destroyed my cellular phone, pushed me to the bottom.”
Jason Roley texted her after his arrest saying he was going to kill himself, she wrote. “Jason verbally threatened me by saying he can be ready outdoors with a sniper rifle and burn the place down,” she wrote. “He stated the one factor stopping him from going via with it was going to jail.”
‘They didn’t deserve this’
The choose ordered him to keep away from his spouse and son and give up any firearms. “I’m not a hazard to my son or anybody else,” Jason Roley responded. “The plaintiff didn’t inform the reality in her assertion.”
The choose apparently believed her after a listening to. His order cited an act of home violence and stated he would possibly do it once more. The safety would proceed for the mom, however not their minor youngster.
Three years later, Jason Roley utilized for a wedding license, with Sara Peterson. Their social media pages say they’re married and dwell in Priest River, Idaho, close to Sandpoint, the place Wess Roley had been dwelling earlier than he grew to become homeless.
E-mail and cellphone messages searching for Jason Roley’s remark weren’t returned. His father, Dale Roley, wrote on Fb that he’s the grandfather.
“I would love give my Condolence’s to all these relations who have been Sadly Victims of yesterdays Crimes,” Dale Roley wrote. “These good Courageous Firefighters have been simply doing there Job they didn’t deserve this!”
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