Mass Stabbing In Saskatchewan kills 10, Injures 18
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10 people were killed and 18 were injured during a mass stabbing spree in Saskatchewan on Sunday, Sept. 4. Early that morning, a report of a stabbing on James Smith Cree Nation was sent to Saskatchewan police, followed by multiple more reports of stabbings at different places around the community, resulting in 13 crime scenes.
According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the suspects were two brothers, Damien and Myles Sanderson. The suspects were identified less than three hours after the first report of the stabbings. However, later police stated that, while Damien was involved in the planning, he didn’t take part in the killings.
According to CTV News, RCMP were brought to James Smith Cree Nation and were already searching for the brothers on Saturday, due to a report that Damien Sanderson had stolen a vehicle. The police found the vehicle outside of a residence, and searched the home with consent from the homeowner, asking for the identities of all the men inside.
The RCMP realized that Damien had been inside the residence but had given them a fake name, and hadn’t noticed because they were referencing a photo of Damien from 2014. Later on, police also determined that the two brothers had been selling drugs the same day.
Myles Sanderson also had a criminal history and had been previously detained. He was on statutory release, which meant that he had been released to serve the last third of his sentence. Police confirmed that he had stopped meeting with his parole officer in May, which was a breach of his parole conditions.
On Sunday morning after the stabbings were reported and the suspects were confirmed in an update sent soon after the first reports, a dangerous persons alert was issued in James Smith Cree Nation, warning communities of the stabbings and asking them to seek shelter.
The alert was spread to the entire province of Saskatchewan after more investigation confirmed that the brothers were travelling in a vehicle. Later that morning, requests were sent to Alberta and Manitoba to extend the dangerous persons alert, which was then issued.
On the same day, an alert was sent to Regina after authorities received reports of people spotting the suspect’s vehicle.
Investigators investigate the scene of one of the stabbings in Saskatchewan
Robert Bumsted/AP via The Guardian
The next morning, police found a dead body on James Smith Cree Nation. The body showed signs of fatal injuries, and was later identified to be Damien Sanderson, but Rhonda Blackmore, Assistant Commissioner of the RCMP, said that the injuries were not believed to be self-inflicted.
Myles Sanderson died on Sept. 7 after he was arrested. The RCMP described him as going into medical distress. Later, on Thursday, Sept. 8, the RCMP announced that evidence suggested Myles Sanderson had murdered his brother, Damien Sanderson, bringing the number of people killed by him to 11.
The motives behind the stabbings and the victims are still unknown and are likely to remain unknown.