Police identify suspect in the fatal ambush of 2 firefighters in Idaho : NPR
The Idaho police identified the man who fatally killed two forest firefighters and critically injured another in an apparent ambush after intentionally triggered a brush fire.
Leila Fadel, host:
At the heart of Alene, Idaho, today, the community is invited to line a highway and to stand at the top of the bridges for a procession. They will honor the firefighters who were slaughtered by a shooter on Sunday while responding to a brush fire. The authorities have now identified the deceased man, who, according to them, intentionally set a forest fire at the ambush firefighters. Kirk Siegler of NPR.
Kirk Siegler, succule: the sheriff of the county of Kootenai, Bob Norris, confirmed to the journalists here that the shooter was Wess Roley, 20, who had moved in northern Idaho, as we know locally, last year from Arizona. Before the deadly ambush, the police think they lived in his car on Canfield Mountain, east of Alene’s heart. The sheriff Norris says that the police had had five interactions with him recently – all minors – for intrusion and well -being controls.
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Bob Norris: We have had interactions with him, but we do not find a criminal record with him.
Siegler: Norris says that the police have no reason yet, but confirmed that the shooter wanted to work in the forest and be a firefighter. The authorities believe that Roley committed suicide, that he acted alone, that he used a flint starter to light a brush fire, then bed in the woods with a hunting rifle, waiting for the firefighters. They came quickly. It was unusually hot and dry, and it was a fire threatening the eastern edge of the city by the Lake Coeur d’Alene. Kootai County Firefighters, Christopher Way, says his department regularly trains for active shooters, but the appeal that entered was for a brush fire, not a sniper in the woods.
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Christopher Way: We saw the smoke show. We entered, as we do all the time and attacked the fire. And then, unfortunately, we were attacked. The way they were attacked and ambushed, they never had the opportunity.
Siegler: The authorities released the names of the three veterans firefighters who were slaughtered. The two deceased men were both long -standing veterans of the city and county fire services – the 52 -year -old battalion chief John Morrison, and Frank Harwood, 42. Harwood was the chief and friend of the battalion of Justin Zabel. Zabel is president of the local firefighter union.
Justin Zabel: The greatest thing I withdraw is just his service – his true service to the community, his love to be a firefighter, his love to direct his battalion.
Siegler: Zabel said that it does not matter how difficult it is, the brothers and sisters of the fallen firefighters from the local section 2856 will continue to answer the call and serve their community – a community known for its constant support for the police and the first stakeholders. Heart of Alene is in shock and tries to understand how the unthinkable could have happened.
Kirk Siegler, NPR News, heart of Alene, Idaho.
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