Man Sets Forest Fire, Shoots at Firefighters When They Arrive
On 29 June, authorities said they believe a man intentionally started a forest fire, then shot at first responders on Canfield Mountain, which is just outside Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, near the border with Washington state. Two firefighters died and a third was seriously wounded.
In a rush to recover the body and evidence before the fire spread, authorities found the suspected shooter, who was deceased next to a rifle. Few details have been released as of publication time, including the man’s name or what kind of weapon or weapons he used. It is also unclear at this time whether he took his own life, if law enforcement stopped him, or if he died from a different cause.
“We do believe that the suspect started the fire, and we do believe that it was an ambush and it was intentional,” Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said at a news conference on Sunday night. “These firefighters did not have a chance.”
The mountainous area has many trails and is a popular place for hiking and mountain biking, and several civilians were in the vicinity when the incident occurred. Someone called in a report of the fire, and Norris said he did not believe the shooter was the one to call in the fire report. A short time later, the first firefighters arrived and fell under fire from the rocky, forested terrain above them. The surrounding area, including the town of Coeur d’Alene, were given a shelter-in-place order for several hours, an order that was lifted after the suspect’s body was found.
Norris said the suspect continued moving during the attack, attempting to stay hidden. Authorities were able to obtain his location by tracking his cellphone.
A long procession of police vehicles, fire trucks, and ambulances took the bodies of the two slain firefighters to a medical examiner in Spokane, Washington. People lined overpasses and parts of the route to honor the first responders.
Authorities have not speculated or released any information about what may have motivated the suspect. A week prior, the beautiful natural setting hosted an Ironman race. The region has also gained notoriety due to Aryan Nation leader Richard Butler, who relocated to the area in the 1970s and attracted a following. Even after his death in 2004, discriminatory incidents have plagued the area.
The fire continues to burn and spread, and encompasses 26 acres as of the morning of 30 June.
Setting a fire for the purpose of inflicting a mass casualty shooting directed at firefighters is unusual, but not unique. In 2012 in Webster, New York, a man set fire to a house, then got into a concealed sniper position and began shooting when fire trucks arrived on the scene.
In that incident, William Spengler shot and killed two firefighters. The body of Spengler’s sister was found in the house. Spengler had left a note saying he wanted to kill as many people as possible and burn as much of the neighborhood as possible. He died of a self-inflicted wound and his body was found not far from the scene.
