The 2025 Coeur d'Alene firefighters shooting was an attack on emergency responders on 29 June 2025 on Canfield Mountain near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, United States. Two firefighters were killed and a third was wounded after crews responded to a reported brush fire.
Authorities identified the attacker as Wess Val Roley, a 20-year-old man who was later found dead. Investigators said Roley started the fire and then shot at the first responders who arrived. Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said the public evidence did not show a manifesto, and the motive had not been established.
Background
Canfield Mountain is a recreation area north of Coeur d'Alene. On 29 June 2025, emergency services were called to a brush fire on the mountain. Fire crews from the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, and neighbouring agencies responded.
According to the Associated Press, Sheriff Norris said Roley had been living out of his vehicle and had only minor previous contacts with local police. Norris also said Roley had once wanted to become a firefighter.
Attack
The attack began after firefighters arrived at the fire scene. Sheriff Norris said the first responders had asked Roley to move his vehicle before he attacked them. Police later said Roley had started the fire before shooting at the responding crews.
The shooting created a dangerous scene for both firefighters and police. Fire suppression work was delayed while law enforcement secured the mountain, searched for the attacker, and dealt with the active threat.
Victims
Two firefighters were killed:
- John Morrison Jr., a battalion chief with the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department.
- Frank Harwood, a battalion chief with Kootenai County Fire and Rescue.
David Tysdal, a Coeur d'Alene Fire Department fire engineer, was shot and critically injured. The International Association of Fire Fighters reported that he underwent emergency surgery and was recovering.
Suspect and Investigation
Authorities identified the attacker as Wess Val Roley. He was found dead after the shooting. Reporting at the time stated that a shotgun was recovered near him, and Sheriff Norris said Roley appeared to have died by suicide.
Investigators said Roley had started the fire as part of the attack. Sheriff Norris also said investigators had not found a manifesto and had not established a motive. Because Roley died at the scene, the criminal investigation centred on reconstructing the attack, identifying whether anyone else was involved, and determining how the fire and shooting unfolded.
Fire and Emergency Response
The fire response was complicated by the shooting. Firefighters could not safely continue normal suppression work while shots were being fired. Law enforcement and fire agencies treated the incident as both an active attack and a wildfire response.
After the shooting scene was secured, firefighters continued work on the fire. Local agencies also changed emergency response practices in the immediate aftermath, with law enforcement offering support on fire calls because of safety concerns.
Significance
The shooting was unusual because the victims were firefighters responding to an emergency rather than police officers or other armed responders. It was also one of several US incidents in which a fire was allegedly used to draw emergency workers into danger.
The case is usually described through the confirmed facts: a deliberately started fire, an armed attack on firefighters, two line-of-duty deaths, one wounded firefighter, and a suspect who died before any trial could take place.
See Also
References
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