Petterson is from Weldon, Saskatchewan, while the other nine victims are from the James Smith Cree Nation. In addition, 18 people were injured in the knife attacks, but authorities would not release their identities. “We can confirm that a young teenager was injured and the rest of the injured are all adults. We will not confirm any other specific ages,” the agencies said. Three patients were in critical condition and seven in stable condition Tuesday, according to the Saskatchewan Health Authority. The information about the victims was released as Canadian police continued a massive manhunt for one of two suspects in the violent attacks, which spanned 13 different crime scenes on the James Smith Cree Nation and in Weldon, a nearby farming village in Saskatchewan. Authorities have identified brothers Myles and Damien Sanderson as suspects. Miles Sanderson remains at large and is considered “armed and dangerous”, while Damien Sanderson was found dead a day after the attacks with wounds not believed to be self-inflicted, police said. Police have warned Miles Sanderson could be injured. He is wanted on a warrant for three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of breaking and entering a residence. Police on Tuesday reported a possible sighting of Sanderson on the James Smith Cree Nation, but police later determined he was not in the community. The search has expanded to the entire province of Saskatchewan, authorities said.
Some of the victims were apparently targeted, police say
It remains unclear what motivated the violence and how or if the brothers knew any of the victims. Some were apparently targeted while others may have been attacked randomly, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore said in a Monday briefing. It is also unknown if the brothers carried out the attacks at the same time, according to Blackmore. The first stabbing was reported on the James Smith Cree Nation at 5:40 a.m. local time. Minutes later, several more calls came in about stabbings at other locations, police said. The nation has a population of about 3,400 people with about 1,800 members living on the reservation, according to its website. By 9:45 a.m., authorities were reporting casualties at multiple locations, including one in Weldon. First responder Lydia Gloria Burns was responding to a crisis call when she was caught up in the violence and killed, her brother Darryl Burns told Reuters, although the agency did not say whether the call was related to the stabbings. “She was butchered,” her brother Ivor Burns told Reuters. The discovery of Damien Sanderson’s body a day after the attacks also raised questions about his brother’s involvement in his death. However, police said Monday it was unclear whether Miles Sanderson was involved. “It’s an avenue of investigation that we’re following, but we can’t say definitively at this point,” Blackmore said.
The suspect had a “lengthy” criminal record and was released by the parole board
Miles Sanderson was described as being about 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing about 240 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. On Tuesday, police released an updated photo of him. Blackmore previously said Sanderson had warrants out for his arrest before the stabbings. “Miles’ record goes back many years and includes property and person crimes,” Blackmore said, without elaborating on the alleged crimes. “His actions have shown that he is violent and that is why we continue to emphasize people to remain vigilant,” Blackmore added. Sanderson was granted statutory release by the Parole Board of Canada, according to a decision made on February 1, 2022. Statutory release is a documented release from the law that allows an offender to serve part of their sentence in the community under direct supervision, according to the board. Under Canadian law, the Correctional Service of Canada must release most offenders on supervision after they have served two-thirds of their sentence if they have not already been granted parole, except for those serving life sentences. The council said in the decision that it did not believe Sanderson would present a danger to the public if released. The decision noted his lengthy criminal history and that he was evaluated by a psychologist for a “moderate risk of violence.” “Your criminal history is very troubling, including the use of violence and weapons related to your index offenses, and your history of domestic violence involving family victims, including your children, and non-family victims,” the decision states. In a statement, the Parole Board said it “extends its thoughts to the victims, their families and all those who have been affected as a result of these senseless and horrific acts of violence.” Citing the Privacy Act, the board said it could not discuss details of an offender’s case. CNN’s Paula Newton, Tina Burnside, Chuck Johnston, Michelle Watson and Cara Lynn Clarkson contributed to this report.
