Walking through the pines on Canfield Mountain usually feels like a reset button for the soul. The air is crisp, the trails are steep, and the view of Lake Coeur d’Alene from the top is basically why people move to North Idaho in the first place. But if you were looking for news about a shooting in Coeur d'Alene today, you aren't likely seeing yellow tape or active sirens. Instead, you're seeing the long, jagged shadow of June 29, 2025.
It has been roughly seven months since a 20-year-old named Wess Roley turned this recreation paradise into a "kill zone." Honestly, the town hasn't been the same. People still look at the smoke on the horizon with a bit of a flinch.
The Day Everything Changed for North Idaho First Responders
When we talk about the shooting in Coeur d'Alene today, we’re really talking about the systemic shifts in how our local heroes do their jobs. It started with a brush fire. Just a small, half-acre blaze on the west slope of the mountain. Boring stuff for seasoned crews, right?
Wrong.
The investigation eventually proved that Roley used a flint fire starter to lure first responders into an ambush. It wasn't an accident. It was a setup. As Battalion Chiefs Frank Harwood and John Morrison arrived to lead the charge, they were met with 12-gauge shotgun slugs. They didn't even have a chance to pull a hose.
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A Hero in the Hot Zone
Engineer David Tysdal was there too. He was pinned inside his brush rig, shot twice. The man had a collapsed lung and a shattered clavicle, but he stayed on the radio. He kept transmitting. Because of him, other crews knew to stay back. He basically saved a dozen lives while he couldn't even move his own legs.
Tysdal’s recovery has been the heartbeat of the community lately. As of the most recent updates, he’s been undergoing intensive rehab in Colorado. The spinal swelling that initially paralyzed him has been the big hurdle. But the word around the station is that he’s showing "incredible grit."
Why the Shooting in Coeur d'Alene Today is Still Creating Friction
You’d think a tragedy like this would unite everyone forever. It did, for a while. But lately, things have gotten... complicated.
If you follow local politics, you’ve probably seen the headlines about Sheriff Bob Norris and the Coeur d'Alene Police leadership. Just this month—January 2026—there was a major blow-up where the Sheriff revoked the "special deputy status" for CdA Police Chief Lee White and others.
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Why does this matter?
Because if that status isn't active, those city officers can't technically lead joint SWAT operations outside city limits. It’s a mess of jurisdiction and ego that has many locals worried. If another shooting happened today, would the agencies play nice? The status was "temporarily restored" a few days ago, but the tension is thick enough to cut with a pocket knife.
The Mystery of the Motive
The FBI and local detectives have spent months digging into Wess Roley’s life. He was a California kid who’d been living in Idaho for about a year. No real criminal record. No massive manifesto. Just a few "minor" trespassing calls where he was reportedly cooperative.
His grandfather mentioned Wess actually wanted to be a firefighter at one point. He’d even applied for a job with the forestry service. Somewhere between that dream and June 2025, something snapped. Investigators found a note he left for his father, but they’ve kept the specific details close to the chest, only saying it "foretold tragedy."
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Community Safety and What’s Different Now
You can’t just go back to "normal" after something like this.
- Escorted Fire Calls: You’ll notice that fire trucks often don’t go into "welfare check" fires alone anymore. Law enforcement is attached to the hip of these crews now. It slows things down, but it keeps people alive.
- Canfield Mountain Surveillance: There’s been a lot of talk about trail cameras and increased patrols. Some hikers hate the "big brother" feel, but most are just glad someone is watching the trailhead.
- Mental Health Focus: The loss of Harwood and Morrison—two guys with nearly 50 years of combined experience—left a massive hole in the leadership. The peer support programs in Kootenai County have seen a 400% increase in use since the ambush.
Actionable Next Steps for Locals and Visitors
If you’re heading out to the trails or just want to support the community, here is how things stand right now:
- Check the Inmate Roster: If you're concerned about local crime trends, the Kootenai County and Spokane County rosters are updated daily. It’s the best way to see who is actually in custody.
- Donate to the Tysdal Recovery Fund: Local credit unions and KREM 2 still have active links for Engineer Tysdal. He’s got a long road of medical bills ahead.
- Report Early: If you see a small fire on the mountain, don't assume someone else called it in. But more importantly, if you see a vehicle parked where it shouldn't be—like Roley's was—tell a ranger.
- Respect the "No-Fly" Zones: During active incidents or fire seasons, drones are a huge no-go. They grounded the law enforcement helicopters during the manhunt, which was a massive safety risk.
The shooting in Coeur d'Alene today isn't a fresh headline, and in a way, that's a blessing. It means nobody is currently in the line of fire. But for the families of the fallen and the survivors like David Tysdal, the echoes of those shotgun blasts are still very much alive.
Stay aware of your surroundings when you’re out in the North Idaho woods. We’ve learned the hard way that the most beautiful places can hide the most unexpected dangers.
To stay updated on the legal fallout between the Sheriff's Office and City Police, you can monitor the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners' weekly meeting minutes, which often detail the jurisdictional agreements currently in flux.