Idaho firefighters shooting: 2 dead, 1 injured in ambush. What we know

Two firefighters were killed and another was seriously injured after they were ambushed and shot while responding to a wildfire near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho on Sunday, authorities told the Associated Press.

Here's what you need to know about the attack:

Suspect identified, but firefighters' names have not been released

What we know:

The suspect has been identified as Wess Roley, a law enforcement official, who spoke on a condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Monday.

What we don't know:

The AP reported that the names of the slain and injured firefighters have not been released.

Officials told the AP that the deceased included a firefighter from the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department and one from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue. The third firefighter was badly injured but had made it through surgery and was "fighting for his life," Norris said late Sunday night.

A procession of fire and law enforcement vehicles accompanied the bodies of the fallen firefighters as they were taken from the hospital in Coeur d'Alene to the medical examiner's office in Spokane, Washington, a neighboring city just across the state line.

Idaho ambush begins with a brush fire

The backstory:

Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris told reporters that firefighters first responded to a report of a brush fire on Sunday afternoon at Canfield Mountain, a popular hiking and biking area near the outskirts of town. But once the firefighters arrived, someone began shooting at them, according to the Associated Press.

RELATED: Firefighters ambushed by sniper on Idaho mountainside; 2 killed

The fire was set to lure the firefighters into an ambush, Norris said. "These firefighters did not have a chance," he said.

Authorities responded, locking down the neighborhoods near the hiking area and searching for the shooter in hilly terrain with thick brush and trees and smoke from the fire nearby.

The Associated Press reported that a procession of fire and law enforcement vehicles accompanied the bodies of the fallen firefighters as they were taken from the hospital in Coeur d'Alene to the medical examiner's office in Spokane, Washington, a neighboring city just across the state line.

Injuries and number of shooters in attack unknown

Local perspective:

Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris told the Associated Press that during the next couple of hours it was unclear if hikers or other people were stuck on the mountain, or if any others had been injured in the shooting. What was clear was the danger the firefighters and responding police endured as they exchanged gunfire with the shooter.

"We don’t know how many suspects are up there, and we don’t know how many casualties there are," Norris told reporters at a Sunday afternoon news conference. "We are actively taking sniper fire as we speak."

A spokesperson with Kootenai Health later confirmed to the Associated Press that three individuals were transported to the hospital — two were dead by the time they arrived, and a third was injured.

The deceased included a firefighter from the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department and one from Kootenai County Fire and Rescue. A third firefighter was badly injured but had made it through surgery and was "fighting for his life," Norris said later that night.

Cellphone data helps authorities find suspected shooter

Dig deeper:

According to the Associated Press, authorities used cellphone data to narrow their search for Wess Roley, who has been identified by as the suspected shooter. Police identified a cell signal around 3:15 p.m. and noticed it had not changed location for some time, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris told the Associated Press. 

A tactical response team went to the location and found a deceased man with a weapon nearby. Officials believe the man was the shooter, the sheriff said. Investigators said the gunman acted alone.

Crime and Public SafetyIdaho