Canada stabbing suspect found dead, brother still fugitive

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At a brief press update late Monday afternoon, police announced that the body of Damien Sanderson, one of the suspects of the stabbing attack in Saskatchewan, had been located in a grassy area near a house around the area of James Smith Cree Nation and is being examined by police. But his injuries are reportedly not self-inflicted, ruling out the aspect of suicide. 

His brother Myles remains on the run, with police suspecting he was seeking shelter in the provincial capital of Regina and believing he had also sustained injuries. Officials were looking for him since May for breaching his parole conditions.

Police initially believed the brothers fled James Smith Cree Nation for Regina, more than 300 kilometers south, and two individuals matching the brothers’ description were spotted in a black Nissan Rogue, the same as the stolen vehicle the pair were driving.

On Sunday morning, two men attacked people in an Indigenous community in Saskatchewan and a neighboring village. At least 18 people were injured before the suspects fled in a stolen vehicle, leaving the citizens of Canada reeling from one of the deadliest attacks in its history as police from multiple provinces ramp up their search.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the attacks as “horrific and heartbreaking”, telling reporters Monday afternoon of his government’s support in both the hunt for the men, as well as for the victims of the mass killing: “This kind of violence, or any kind of violence, has no place in our country". 

The bulk of the Saskatchewan stabbings happened in the Indigenous community of James Smith Cree Nation and the village of Weldon, in which police stated they were investigating 13 different locations as crime scenes. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) disclosed that the men had been charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, and breaking and entering.

Regina police chief Evan Bray said that although the information may be a day old, his team still believes Myles is hiding somewhere in the capital and Bray believes there are residents with information about the suspect’s whereabouts and has asked them to come forward.

Rhonda Blackmore, commanding officer of the Saskatchewan RCMP warned that “even if he is injured, it does not mean he is not still dangerous,” adding that Myles has a lengthy criminal record involving both persons and property crimes.

“We have 10 people dead, including my sister. She was butchered … with her friend and a 14-year-old boy, all three of them,” James Smith Cree Nation resident Ivor Burns told Reuters.

Saskatchewan’s premier, Scott Moe, condemned the attacks as “horrific” and offered his government’s support to all those affected, commenting: “There are no words to adequately describe the pain and loss caused by this senseless violence. All of Saskatchewan grieves with the victims and their families.”

On Monday, a crowdfunding page was set up to help relieve funeral costs and to provide financial support for the victims' families.