Wess Roley Identified as Gunman in Canfield Mountain Ambush: Inside the Tactical Response to a Calculated Sniper Attack on Idaho Firefighters

On the quiet afternoon of Sunday, June 29, 2025, the community of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, found itself thrust into an unexpected and horrifying crisis. What began as a standard emergency call for a brush fire on the slopes of Canfield Mountain swiftly descended into one of the most chilling ambushes ever encountered by first responders in the region. By the end of the day, two firefighters lay dead, a third was critically injured, and a sprawling multi-agency tactical operation had been launched to contain and neutralize the suspected sniper — a man later identified as Wess Roley.

In a scene that authorities have described as a premeditated attack designed to inflict maximum harm on public servants, Roley is believed to have deliberately set the brush fire as bait, drawing emergency personnel into a wooded kill zone before opening fire. The tactical complexities of the incident were vast, with bullet trajectories suggesting Roley shifted positions during the engagement, mimicking a combat-style ambush in rugged terrain just miles from downtown.

This feature explores the tactical anatomy of the attack — from the initial dispatch to the final moments of Roley’s standoff — and examines how law enforcement adapted in real time to a threat environment that evolved rapidly from a wildfire containment call to a full-scale sniper engagement.

The Fire Call That Turned Deadly
At approximately 1:21 p.m., emergency services were dispatched to a report of a wildfire on Canfield Mountain, a heavily forested and steep terrain popular with hikers, mountain bikers, and outdoor enthusiasts. Located just four miles northeast of downtown Coeur d’Alene, the mountain sits on the edge of the city’s suburban sprawl, yet its dense vegetation and elevation make it a difficult landscape to navigate in an emergency — especially for those expecting only to battle flames, not bullets.

Initial fire crews arrived within minutes, assessing the blaze and preparing suppression efforts. According to scanner traffic later released, the atmosphere was calm but alert — standard operating procedure for brush fires in unpredictable terrain.

Then, roughly 30 minutes after arrival, chaos erupted.

Without warning, first responders came under direct gunfire. The initial volleys were described as “precise” and “high caliber,” immediately striking and fatally injuring two firefighters — one from the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department and another from Kootenai County Fire & Rescue. A third firefighter was also hit but survived and was rushed from the scene via medevac helicopter in critical condition.

The ambush was sudden, violent, and effective. Within minutes, standard fire suppression efforts had transformed into a full-blown active shooter crisis with casualties mounting and an unknown sniper at large in the trees.

Tactical Breakdown: A Fire Zone Becomes a Kill Zone
Law enforcement officers from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho State Police, and Coeur d’Alene Police Department began converging on the scene within minutes of the first “officer down” transmission. One piece of audio, later disseminated in local media, captured the raw panic of the moment:

“Send law enforcement right now! There’s an active shooter zone!” a firefighter screamed into the radio, voice tight with terror.

Realizing the threat was far more complex than initially assumed, incident commanders initiated immediate shelter-in-place protocols for nearby areas and implemented an incident command structure (ICS) to manage the response. All fire crews were ordered to withdraw to safety perimeters, with tactical teams taking over containment of the scene.

Sheriff Bob Norris, who would later speak to the media, described the unfolding situation in stark terms.

“This was a total ambush. These firefighters did not have a chance,” he said, his tone grim and unequivocal.

By 2:30 p.m., Kootenai County Sheriff’s deputies had established initial perimeters but remained uncertain about the shooter’s position, capabilities, or intentions. Forest density and elevation created severe visibility and mobility limitations. Tactical officers couldn’t risk entering the tree line without exposing themselves. Every bush and shadow could conceal a barrel.

What complicated the threat even further was the suspicion that multiple shooters might be operating, a fear later dispelled but initially very real. According to Sheriff Norris, bullet trajectories and witness statements suggested that Wess Roley had moved positions multiple times, firing from various elevated angles and distances. This gave the illusion of multiple coordinated attackers — a nightmare scenario for tactical planners.

Tactical Escalation: Snipers in the Sky
Recognizing that standard ground-based containment would not suffice, Sheriff Norris authorized helicopter support with lethal engagement authority. By 4:30 p.m., two helicopters were airborne, each carrying trained law enforcement snipers assigned to search-and-neutralize missions. Their orders: if you have a clear shot, take it.

“I was hoping someone would have a clear shot to neutralize him,” Norris said later in a press briefing.

This was not rhetoric — it was a reflection of just how dangerous and unprecedented the situation had become. The suspect had already demonstrated lethal intent, precise targeting, and the ability to outmaneuver first responders in difficult terrain. The priority shifted from arrest to neutralization.

The helicopters provided both aerial surveillance and direct tactical threat suppression, circling the mountain for hours while coordinating with SWAT and FBI teams on the ground. The suspect, however, remained elusive.

As law enforcement slowly advanced, they relied heavily on thermal imaging, acoustic triangulation, and ballistic analysis to estimate where shots had originated. Technical teams from the FBI, dispatched earlier that afternoon, deployed mobile command units with terrain-mapping capabilities and digital communications interception tools to assist with tracking the shooter.

Meanwhile, rescue of downed firefighters was conducted under extreme risk. Medical teams and tactical units used armored vehicles and smoke cover to extract the wounded from hot zones, performing trauma stabilization on-site before airlifting the injured to regional trauma centers.

The Endgame: Roley Found Dead Near Firearm
By the time the sun began to set over Canfield Mountain, law enforcement had closed in on a possible shooter location — a thicket near one of the earlier firing points identified by trajectory analysts. At approximately 7:00 p.m., officers located a body later confirmed to be Wess Roley, lying near a firearm.

It remains unclear whether Roley was killed by police fire or took his own life, and Sheriff Norris has not confirmed a cause of death pending autopsy. Regardless, the discovery of the body brought a tentative end to the active shooter threat.

“We’re not prepared to say how he died,” Norris said, “but the threat is over.”

Although the tactical operation concluded, the scene remained active. Forensic teams were tasked with processing multiple shooting locations, collecting ballistic evidence, and retrieving any additional weapons or equipment the gunman may have used. Given the shifting positions from which he fired, it’s suspected that Roley had multiple pre-positioned caches of gear or had practiced moving swiftly through the terrain — both of which suggest prior planning.

Motive Unknown, But Methods Clear
As of this writing, Roley’s motive remains unknown, but the method of his attack speaks volumes. Investigators believe the brush fire was intentionally set to lure responders into a zone where they would be vulnerable. The tactic bears disturbing similarity to insurgent ambush techniques observed in military conflicts, where environmental conditions or false emergencies are weaponized to draw targets into open ground.

According to Sheriff Norris, recovered weapons and ballistic patterns indicate that Roley acted alone, though the possibility of outside support or ideological motive remains under investigation. The FBI has not released any information regarding whether Roley was known to authorities or affiliated with any extremist groups.

Governor Condemns “Cowardly” Attack
As news of the tragedy broke, Idaho Governor Brad Little issued a blunt and emotionally charged statement:

“Multiple firefighters were attacked in a cowardly act of violence,” he posted on X. “I ask all Idahoans to join me in prayer for them and their families.”

The governor’s tone reflected not only sorrow but alarm — an acknowledgment that this was no ordinary crisis. The nature of the attack, its premeditation, and its specific targeting of public servants mark it as a high-priority concern for state and federal officials.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has also been engaged in the investigation, particularly regarding how Roley obtained his weaponry and whether any illegal transactions were involved.

A Fire Still Burns
Even as the gunfire subsided, the original wildfire — the one meant as bait — continued to burn. According to Norris, fire suppression efforts were temporarily halted due to the threat to firefighters, meaning the fire was deliberately allowed to spread during the hours of the active shooter situation.

“It’s going to keep burning,” Norris admitted. “We can’t put any resources on it right now until we’re confident the area is safe.”

That fire, while secondary to the human tragedy, remains a stark reminder of how natural elements can be turned into tools of violence. The land that fire crews sought to protect became a trap. And until full safety clearance was achieved, that same land remained inaccessible to those sworn to defend it.

Lessons in Responder Vulnerability
The attack on Canfield Mountain is not just a criminal act — it is a case study in first responder vulnerability and tactical unpredictability. Firefighters, by their very role, respond rapidly and often without expectation of hostile conflict. The shift from fire suppression to active gunfire places them at extreme disadvantage, both physically and tactically.

Unlike law enforcement officers, firefighters do not carry weapons. They do not wear body armor. Their focus is singular: containment and rescue. Against a prepared sniper, they have little chance.

This event raises critical questions for emergency preparedness agencies:

Should firefighters be provided with ballistic gear in high-risk zones?

How can joint protocols between fire and police units be improved for unexpected hostilities?

What role can drones and remote surveillance play in scouting wildfire zones before personnel deploy?

For now, those discussions are just beginning. But for the men and women who wear the patch of Coeur d’Alene Fire and Kootenai County Fire & Rescue, the danger is no longer hypothetical.

Grief and Aftermath
The names of the fallen firefighters have not yet been publicly released, pending notification of families. But internally, the agencies know who they have lost. Support services are being activated for colleagues, families, and responders who endured the terror of that afternoon.

The emotional toll of the incident is immeasurable. First responders train for danger — but rarely does it come in the form of sniper fire while they are bent over a hose line, trying to extinguish a fire lit not by nature, but by malice.

Conclusion: A City Changed, A Tactic Revealed

The ambush on Canfield Mountain has altered the landscape of public safety in Idaho. It has exposed how a single individual, with a plan and a firearm, can disrupt multiple public safety systems and leave devastation in his wake. Wess Roley’s name is now etched into the history of Coeur d’Alene — not as a resident, but as the architect of a lethal trap that will reverberate for years to come.

For law enforcement, the incident reaffirms the need for dynamic, flexible, and multi-platform tactical response capabilities. For firefighters, it is a chilling reminder that even routine calls can erupt into violence. And for the broader community, it is a call to vigilance — not fear, but preparedness.

The sniper is gone. The fire is being fought. But the scars of June 29 will linger, burned into the trees of Canfield Mountain and into the hearts of those who responded, survived, and now must carry forward.