A troubling case emerged from Idaho, involving Weslophily, a 20-year-old firefighter with a fascination for firearms. Following a deadly incident where he shot two fellow firefighters in late June, disturbing drawings and a farewell letter to his father were discovered. These sketches depicted his own demise, alongside one labeled “Goodbye Wes.”
The Cootenai County Sheriff’s Office revealed new details during a press conference, highlighting Lowry’s erratic behavior and unusual manner of speaking. Some drawings were even found on his forehead, showcasing a grim representation of a gunshot wound.
In addition to the drawings, authorities located a letter at the site of the incident on Canfield Mountain, marked by numerous spelling errors, in which he expressed thoughts to his father. In this letter, he stated, “Hello Father, I write this to you in the hope you can read this most sincerely. If I survive tomorrow, I will go to battle. It feels the most dishonorable.”
Lowry continued in the letter, warning against the “trap of modern beings” and the distractions posed by media and other modern pleasures.
The letter echoed similar concerning sentiments he had shared online before the tragic shooting. His past behavior raised red flags, as investigators noted that he often sketched weapons and related imagery in school notebooks during his teenage years.
Interestingly, just a month prior to the shooting, Lowry had expressed interest in becoming a firefighter at the Kohl Darene Fire Station. He faced challenges during the application process, partly due to unresolved ADHD and a history of marijuana use. Sheriff Bob Norris mentioned that Lowry experienced a mix of excitement and frustration throughout this application journey.
Moreover, Lowry had made multiple attempts to join the U.S. military but was consistently unable to complete necessary follow-ups, leading to disqualification.
On June 29, Lowry’s shooting spree resulted in the deaths of two firefighters in response to a fire in northern Idaho, before he turned the gun on himself.
Adding a chilling layer to this incident, it’s worth noting that his father, whom he had addressed in his farewell, had previously made threats during a tumultuous divorce in 2015, including alarming comments about using a sniper rifle against his own family.
Details about the investigation and the collected documents are still being scrutinized.
