‘I’m going hunting’: Idaho shooter’s chilling social media post before he ambushed firefighters

A creepy photo was shared by the gunman hours before his deadly ambush of firefighters in Idaho, officials said.

Idaho killer Wess Roley posted a chilling online photo of himself masked in camouflage with a belt of rifle shells, along with a Bjork song with lyrics ominously warning, “I’m going hunting’’ — just hours before his deadly ambush, officials said.

The creepy post was among a slew of new details about the horror revealed at a sheriff’s press conference on Monday (local time).

Authorities said Roley had been living out of his car before his heinous attack, which left two firefighters dead and another critically wounded.

Roley, 20, had been confronted by the firies about his vehicle before he opened fire on them, according to police.

Handouts of screenshots of Wess Roley's Instagram story are seen at the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office during a press conference the day after Roley ambushed, shot and killed multiple firefighters responding to a wildfire at Canfield Mountain in Idaho. Picture: AP

More than 300 law enforcement officers from various agencies responded to the scene once the shots started and spent hours trying to neutralize Roley.

His abandoned car was even rolled off a mountain ledge to prevent him from escaping, while fire engine wheels were deflated to keep him from stealing one and slipping away.

No motive has been identified in the attack, but officers have not yet searched Roley’s vehicle.

Authorities do not believe he left a manifesto, and he has known no ties to any Mideast terror group, Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris said.

He said Roley had at least five “very, very minor” interactions with local police ranging from trespassing to welfare checks.

Wess Roley. Picture: X

Roley died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Sunday after he appeared to intentionally start a fire in the woods of Canfield Mountain just after 1 p.m. and opened-fire on firefighters who responded to the scene.

It remains unclear if the blaze was used to lure the firefighters to the mountain for an ambush or if the bloodbath was sparked by a disagreement during the interaction over his car.

Roley used a shotgun loaded with slugs during the gunfight.

The fire he started is still burning over 26 acres, but officials expect it will be contained by Monday night.

Firefighters arrive at the scene the day after a shooter ambushed and killed multiple firefighters responding to a wildfire at Canfield Mountain Monday, Idaho.

It comes details emerged that Roley’s father once allegedly threatened to start a fire and shoot his family with a sniper rifle — eerily echoing the deadly crime his son carried out.

Roley’s dad “threatened to sit outside my house with a sniper rifle or burn my house down,” the boy’s terrified mother wrote in 2015 divorce papers obtained by CNN.

During his parents’ messy divorce — which unfolded when Roley was 10 years old – a protective order barring his father from contacting his family was granted to his mother.

The mum said in court papers at the time that the father also shoved her to the ground and then “punched several holes in the walls.”

The father denied the claims of violence, insisting “I am not a danger to my son or anyone else” and that the “did not tell the truth in her statement,” documents showed.

Police and FBI gather near the scene. Picture: X

Roley’s granddad said he “had no reason to suspect that (his grandson) would be involved in something like this.

“He wanted to be a fireman — he was doing tree work, and he wanted to be a fireman in the forest,” the grandfather, Dale Roley, told CNN.

“As far as I know, he was actually pursuing it.”

“It wasn’t like he was a loner,” the grandfather added, explaining that Roley had a supportive family and friends.

About a decade earlier,

A procession from Kootenai Health headed to Spokane after two firefighters were killed Sunday, June 29, 2025. Picture: Bill Buley/Coeur D'Alene Press via AP

Earlier, chilling audio captured a firefighter begging for help while “pinned down” by the crazed shooter.

“We need law enforcement up here immediately,” the unidentified firefighter said in the 911 call from Canfield Mountain just north of Coeur d’Alene on Sunday.

“We have another Coeur d’Alene firefighter down … we’ve got two unresponsive battalion chiefs down, multiple gunshot wounds, two Coeur d’Alene are down,” the caller continued.

“I’m pinned down,” he said. “It’s clear to me that this fire was set intentionally to draw us in.”

A procession from Kootenai Health headed to Spokane after firefighters were killed when they were ambushed by sniper fire while responding to a blaze in a northern Idaho mountain community. Picture: Bill Buley/Coeur D'Alene Press via AP

Two firefighters were killed and another was wounded after the gunman opened fire on emergency crews responding to a blaze at Canfield Mountain around 1.30pm.

The third firefighter was left fighting for life after surgery, although is now in a stable condition, Sheriff Norris said.

US authorities said it is believed he acted alone, after firefighters were ambushed while tackling a blaze in the northwestern state of Idaho.

“Based on preliminary information we believe that was the only shooter,” Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris told a news conference, adding “there is no threat to the community at this time.”

This story was originally published in the New York Post and with AFP wires.

Originally published as ‘I’m going hunting’: Idaho shooter’s chilling social media post before he ambushed firefighters