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Wess Roley's motive: Firefighter rejection behind Idaho shooting? Grandfather gives clue
Wess Roley allegedly set a fire to lure firefighters before killing two and was later found dead with a gun.
Wess Roley, the suspect in the Idaho shooting, allegedly set a fire on Canfield Mountain in Coeur d'Alene to lure firefighters before opening fire, killing two. His body was found with a gun nearby. While the motive remains unclear, his grandfather, Dale Roley, offered a possible clue. He told NBC News that Wess aspired to be a firefighter but may have been rejected, possibly due to his 5-foot-8 height.
“He actually really respected law enforcement. He loved firefighters. It didn't make sense that he was shooting firefighters," Dale Roley told NBC News.
“I know he had been in contact to get a job with a fire department. He wanted to be part of a team that he sort of idolized,” he added. “Maybe he got rejected or something.”
Dale Roley said he spoke to his grandson weekly, but Wess had lost his phone recently and hadn't been in touch for a month. Authorities believe he was living out of his vehicle, which remains at the scene.
“It wasn’t like he was a loner,” Dale told CNN. “We had no reason to suspect that he would be involved in something like this.” He said he was holding out hope that his grandson wasn’t actually the shooter.
Also Read: Who are Wess Roley’s parents? Idaho shooter's mother once accused his father of violent threats
On Monday, Roley’s family, through their attorney Justin P. Whittenton, shared condolences.
"There are no words that can suffice for this tragedy and the infinite losses suffered by those affected by this shooting," Roley’s family said. “We do not understand why this happened or how this came about.”
Fallen firefighters identified
The fallen firefighters have been identified as Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Chief Frank Harwood, 42, and Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Battalion Chief John Morrison.
Dave Tysdal, an engineer with the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department, sustained injuries in the shooting. He underwent two surgeries on Sunday and is currently recovering.
