Brothers Damien and Myles Sanderson are suspected of killing 10 people and injuring 18 in a knife rampage that devastated an indigenous community in Saskatchewan on Sunday, in a country not accustomed to outbreaks of mass violence. The attacks were among the deadliest in modern Canadian history. read more Police said some of the victims appeared to be targeted, while others were apparently random. (Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/3cKaBP0) Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Among the victims were a mother of two, a 77-year-old widow and a first responder. read more In a manhunt involving hundreds of police officers, Damien Sanderson, 31, was found dead in a grassy area on the James Smith Cree Nation, likely killed by his brother, who was previously wanted for violent crimes. The brother who is still at large, Miles Sanderson, 30, “may be injured” and could seek medical attention, Rhonda Blackmore, commander of the Royal Saskatchewan Canadian Mounted Police, said at a news conference. With the death of one Sanderson brother and the wounding of the other, the death toll now stands at 11 dead and 19 injured, Blackmore said. “We can confirm that he has visible injuries. Those injuries are not believed to be self-inflicted at this point,” Blackmore said without elaborating on what caused the injuries. Asked if Miles Sanderson was suspected of also killing his brother, Blackmore said, “It’s an avenue of inquiry that we’re following, but we can’t say for sure.” He also warned that police still consider Miles Sanderson a danger to the public, even if he is injured. “Miles has a lengthy criminal record involving both person and property crimes … We consider him armed and dangerous. Do not approach him,” Blackmore said. Damien Sanderson and Myles Sanderson, named by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) as suspects in stabbings in Canada’s Saskatchewan province, are pictured in this undated handout image released by the RCMP on Sept. 4, 2022. RCMP/Handout via REUTERS read more Police in the Saskatoon city of Saskatchewan had been looking for Miles Sanderson since May, when he stopped seeing his police officer after serving time for assault, robbery, mischief and threats, CBC News reported.
THEY UNDERSTAND DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
Ivor Wayne Burns of the James Smith Cree Nation said three of the victims – his sister Gloria Lydia Burns, a woman and a 14-year-old boy – died at one location. However, police said at a press conference on Monday that the youngest victim was born in 1999. Gloria Burns, a member of the community crisis response team, was killed when she attended an emergency call. “This tragedy that happened here on our land is because of drugs and alcohol,” Burns said, adding that the involvement of drugs in the killings was discussed at a community meeting Monday. “The drug problem we have here is rampant. It’s out of control,” Burns said. His comments echoed those on Sunday by Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, who linked the killings to drugs. Although police have not identified drugs or alcohol as a factor, Burns said the men responsible for the killings are gang members and were high at the time of the crimes. Band is a term used to refer to certain First Nations communities in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the attacks “shocking and heartbreaking” and said he spoke with the leadership of the James Smith Cree Nation and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe to pledge his government’s support. “The federal government will be there with the necessary resources right now in this time of crisis, but we will also continue to work as partners in the coming weeks, months and years through grieving and healing,” Trudeau said at the airport in Ottawa. before flying to Vancouver for a meeting of Liberal ministers. In an unrelated incident that has further rattled the province, police in Saskatchewan said Monday they were investigating reports of a shooting at Lake Witchekan First Nation and warned the public that several armed suspects were on the loose. read more Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Reporting by David Stobbe in James Smith Cree Nation, Saskatchewan, Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Ismail Shakil in Ottawa and Kanishka Singh in Washington. Written by Rami Ayyub and Daniel Trotta. Edited by Lisa Shumaker and Alistair Bell Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
