Search continues for stabbing suspects
WELDON: Canadian police are searching for two suspects in a stabbing spree that killed 10 people and wounded at least 15 others, mostly in a sparsely populated indigenous community, yesterday.
The stabbings across 13 crime scenes were among the deadliest mass killings in modern Canadian history and certain to reverberate throughout the country, which is unaccustomed to bouts of mass violence more commonly seen in the United States.
‘‘I am shocked and devastated by the horrific attacks today,’’ Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement.
Police named the two suspects as Damien Sanderson (31) and Myles Sanderson (30), providing photos and descriptions but no further details about their motive or the victims.
In May, Myles Sanderson was listed as ‘‘unlawfully at large’’ by Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers, a programme that encourages the public to cooperate with police.
There were no further details about why he was wanted.
The two men were seen traveling in a black Nissan Rogue and spotted in the city of Regina, about 320km south of the attacks in the James Smith Cree Nation and the village of Weldon, police said.
‘‘It appears that some of the victims may have been targeted, and some may be random — so to speak to a motive would be extremely difficult at this point in time,’’ Saskatchewan Royal Canadian Mounted Police commanding officer Rhonda Blackmore said.
There may be additional injured victims who transported themselves to various hospitals, police said.
James Smith Cree Nation is an indigenous community with a population of about 3400 people.
Weldon is a village of about 200 people.
The nation’s elected elders declared a state of emergency ‘‘in response to the numerous murders and assaults on members of the James Smith Cree Nation,’’ and established two emergency operations centres, the nation said in a statement.
Indigenous people account for less than 5% of Canada’s population of about 38 million, and they experience higher levels of poverty, unemployment and a lower life expectancy than other Canadians.
Trudeau said his government had been in direct communication with the James Smith Cree Nation leadership, adding, ‘‘we are ready to assist in any way we can’’.
The first stabbings were reported at 5.40am (local time) and within three hours police issued a provincewide dangerous persons alert.
By the afternoon, similar alerts were also issued in Saskatchewan’s neighbouring provinces Alberta and Manitoba.
Police bulletins urged people to report any suspicious people and to take precautions, including sheltering in place, while warning against picking up hitchhikers or approaching people acting strange.
A police alert issued shortly after noon said the pair may be in Regina, one of the province’s largest cities, where a large police presence was already mobilised because of a Canadian football game at Mosaic Stadium near the centre of town.
However, Blackmore said it was unknown where the suspects might be headed or if they had changed vehicles.
‘‘It is horrific what has occurred in our province today,’’ Blackmore said, calling the attacks one of the largest if not the largest in recent history in the province.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority activated an emergency response, bringing in additional staff to treat to victims, and later declared it over as ‘‘the risk of a high influx of patient transfers due to this situation is no longer prominent.’’ ‘‘We can confirm that multiple people have been triaged and cared for at multiple sites and that a call for additional staff to help respond to this situation has occurred,’’ the health authority said in a statement.