Comment Ten people were killed and at least 15 wounded in a series of stabbings that sent the entire Canadian province of Saskatchewan on alert as police tried to track down the two suspects, authorities said Sunday. The suspects, named by police as Damien Sanderson, 31, and Myles Sanderson, 30, remained at large hours after authorities began receiving reports at approximately 5:40 A.M. local time for people who were stabbed in the James Smith Cree Nation and the village of Weldon. “It appears that some of the victims may have been targeted and some may have been accidental,” Rhonda Blackmore, assistant commissioner of the Royal Saskatchewan Constabulary, said at a news conference Sunday night. “So it would be extremely difficult at this time to talk about a motive.” Mass murders in Canada are relatively rare compared to the United States. The incident was one of the deadliest in Canada since the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia that left 22 dead and sparked a national investigation into how the gunman eluded police for more than 12 hours as he went on a rampage across province. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the attacks in Saskatchewan “horrifying and heartbreaking.” “Thinking of those who lost a loved one and those injured,” he tweeted late Sunday. Officials in Ottawa are “closely monitoring” the situation, he added. Police have not yet named any of the victims. In a statement, leaders of the James Smith Cree Nation declared a state of emergency in response to “multiple killings and attacks on members of the James Smith Cree Nation.” The leaders represent three Indigenous communities: the James Smith Cree Nation, the Chakastaypasin Band and the Peter Chapman Band. While Indigenous people make up about 5 percent of Canada’s total population, they are overrepresented among victims of violence in the country, according to official figures. From 2015 to 2020, the rate of homicides involving an Indigenous victim was six times higher than the rate of homicides involving non-Indigenous victims. Investigators are examining 13 crime scenes. At least 15 people were treated, Blackmore said, and “there may be additional injuries that were taken to the hospital.” Police said they are still investigating what the relationship between the Sandersons is and whether they were known to the police. In May, Miles Sanderson was listed as “unlawfully at large” by Saskatchewan CrimeStoppers – a community initiative designed to solicit public assistance in solving crimes and missing persons cases. The last public sighting of the pair – described by police as armed and dangerous – was in Regina, about 200 miles south, shortly before noon on Sunday. Authorities said the men may have been traveling in a black Nissan Rogue crossover SUV with Saskatchewan license plates. An initial alarm was issued at approximately 7:12 a.m. in neighboring communities, including Candle Lake, Prince Albert, Melfort, Humboldt and Rosthern, informing the public of multiple stabbings and urging people to seek shelter. This alert was later extended across the province and into neighboring Alberta and Manitoba – a vast area of some 800,000 square miles. “Right now, we have no indication that they have traveled to another province. But since they’re in a vehicle, we can’t say with 100 percent certainty where they are right now, and we think it’s prudent to notify residents of those counties,” Blackmore said. The police investigation came as thousands of fans descended on the provincial capital for a sold-out annual Labor Day game between the Canadian Football League’s Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Regina Police Chief Evan Bray said extra officers were added to the usual game day security. He appealed to the public to come forward with any information that may help in the arrests of the men. “It’s safe to say that somebody probably knows where these suspects are,” he told reporters. This is a developing story that will be updated. Lateshia Beachum contributed to this report.
