Wess Roley, the 20-year-old man suspected of ambushing firefighters in northern Idaho, posted a chilling message just hours before the attack. Wearing camouflage and a face mask, Roley shared an image of himself online with a belt of rifle shells and used a haunting song titled “Hunter,” which includes the lyrics, “I’m going hunting.”
Idaho sh**ter Wess Roley posted a creepy picture of himself masked in camouflage with ammo, and lyrics in the background with the words “I’m going hunting” hours before his sh**ting spree – NYP pic.twitter.com/ggspvDJxlk
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 30, 2025
Officials believe this may have been his final message before carrying out the deadly shooting.
Roley allegedly started a wildfire on Canfield Mountain near Coeur d’Alene, then waited for first responders to arrive before opening fire. Two firefighters were killed, and a third was critically injured. More than 300 law enforcement officers were called in as the situation unfolded over several hours.
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Authorities said Roley had been living out of his vehicle, which was later found near the scene of the attack. Deputies reportedly pushed the car down an embankment to prevent him from escaping in it. Fire engines were also disabled by deflating their tires, ensuring he could not flee using emergency vehicles.
At a press conference Monday, Sheriff Norris said Roley used a shotgun loaded with slugs. His body was discovered with the weapon hours later. Officials believe he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
It is still unclear why Roley carried out the attack. Authorities confirmed he left behind no manifesto and had no known links to extremist groups or terrorism. His social media, however, gave off disturbing vibes. In one photo shared by investigators, Roley is seen wearing a black balaclava, his face covered in soot.
Roley was born in California and later lived in Arizona before moving to Idaho in 2024. Since his arrival, the police had interacted with him five times, including instances of trespassing complaints and welfare checks. None of the incidents led to arrests.
One possible clue lies in his past dream of becoming a firefighter himself. According to Roley’s grandfather, he admired firefighters and once applied to join a department. He suggested that Roley may have been rejected due to his height — he was 5 feet 8 inches — and that the rejection might have fueled feelings of resentment. “Maybe he got rejected or something,” the grandfather said.
Firefighters who survived the attack described chaos on their radio scanners. One was heard shouting, “Send law enforcement right now! There’s an active shooter zone… everybody’s shot up here!”
Another pleaded, “Stop. Do not come up here.” It was clear from the audio that the responders were caught completely off guard and were trying to escape a dangerous situation.
The fire Roley allegedly set is still burning, but has been mostly contained after spreading over 26 acres. Officials are still investigating the scene and expect to recover more evidence, including possibly more weapons from Roley’s vehicle.
Featured image via X screengrab
