A day after the country started to learn about the specifics of an alleged sniper ambush and killing of two Idaho firemen, the Bay State was inundated with grief and support messages.
An armed guy reportedly ambushed first responders who were dispatched to a brush fire near Coeur d Alene, Idaho, on Sunday afternoon. According to Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office officials, the alleged shooter was discovered dead at the site after killing two firefighters and gravely wounding a third.
The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services posted on social media, “We are thinking of the firefighters, law enforcement, and other public safety personnel who were ambushed by gunfire while fighting a brush fire near Coeur d Alene, Idaho, tonight.”
On behalf of Commissioner Paul Burke and the entire department, the Boston Fire Department expressed their sympathies to the families of the fatalities, stating that their coworkers were died needlessly while performing their duties. They also offered their prayers for the third injured man’s recovery.
The dangers associated with fighting fires and all other crises for which we respond are accepted by firefighters. The department posted on social media, “Unfortunately, this tragedy reminds us of another element of risk that all first responders now face as they do their job protecting the public they serve.”
The two people who were killed were both union members, according to the International Association of Fire Fighters, which had its annual convention in Boston last year.
Earlier today, IAFF members were caught in a horrific act of violence while responding to a fire in Coeur d Alene, Idaho. The union said on social media that a third brother is still undergoing treatment after two of our brothers were shot dead by a sniper.
They added, “Please remember to pray for them, their families, and law enforcement.”
The Herald reported on Monday that U.S. Senator Ed Markey, a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, expressed his disgust at this needless assault on firemen.
As they mourn this terrible loss, my thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the community. According to him, targeted violence against firefighters is wrong because they contribute incalculably to the safety of our communities.
Law enforcement now believes the shooter purposefully started a fire to entice first responders into the woods before opening fire on incoming personnel, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said Sunday.
At a press conference after the attack, Norris stated that these firefighters had no chance.
A law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Monday that the deceased suspect was identified as Wess Roley, age 20.
