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On Sunday, at least ten people were killed and 15 were injured in a stabbing spree in an Indigenous community and a nearby town in Canada’s Saskatchewan province, according to police, who launched a manhunt for two suspects.
Responding to an emergency call, police discovered ten bodies in the remote Indigenous community of James Smith Cree Nation and the nearby town of Weldon, Saskatchewan. Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police stated at a press conference.
She stated that at least 15 other people were injured and taken to hospitals.
The alleged attackers, Myles and Damien Sanderson, both 30, have black hair and brown eyes and fled in a vehicle.
The James Smith Cree Nation, which has a population of 2,500 people, declared a local state of emergency, and many Saskatchewan residents were advised to stay put.
In a tweet, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the attacks as “horrific and heartbreaking,” offering condolences and urging residents to follow authorities’ orders.
“To speak to a motive at this time would be extremely difficult,” she added.
Diane Shier, a Weldon resident, told local media that her next-door neighbour, a man who lived with his grandson, was killed in the attack.
Police resources at their’maximum’
A dangerous person alert was issued in Saskatchewan in the morning after police responded to multiple stabbings in the Indigenous community and Weldon.
At 5:40 a.m. (11:40 GMT), police received a call reporting a stabbing at the James Smith Cree Nation, which was quickly followed by calls reporting additional stabbings in a total of 13 different locations, according to Blackmore.
Several checkpoints have been set up on highways and roads throughout the region, as “maximum” police resources have been deployed in the search for the suspects, she added.
The attacks in Saskatchewan today are horrific and heartbreaking. I’m thinking of those who have lost a loved one and of those who were injured.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 4, 2022
Following reports of sightings of the two men in Regina, the provincial capital more than 300 kilometres (185 miles) to the south, the alert and search were expanded to include neighbouring Manitoba and Alberta provinces – a vast region nearly half the size of Europe.
In Regina, police chief Evan Bray said authorities were on high alert, with extra officers deployed, as sports fans descended on the city for a sold-out match between the Canadian Football League’s Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Labour Day weekend.
In a statement, the Saskatchewan Health Authority said it had activated emergency protocols to deal with “a large number of critical patients.”
“We can confirm that multiple people are being triaged and cared for across multiple sites, and that a call for additional staff to assist in responding to this situation has been issued,” the statement continued.
Three helicopters from Saskatoon and Regina were dispatched to the remote northern communities to transport stabbing victims and bring a doctor to the scene.
