Manhunt over: Stabbing suspect captured near Rosthern

WARNING: The video contains strong language.

Video courtesy of Jordan Brandon/Facebook

Eric Willie told 650 CKOM/980 CJME he was leaving Rosthern when he saw police vehicles heading south towards Saskatoon. Shortly after that, he came across the vehicles scattered across the road.

“It appears that they’d pushed a fellow in a white SUV or pickup truck into the ditch,” Willie said. “(There were) lots of skidmarks on the highway.

“As I was passing by, they hauled the fellow out of the car, had him in handcuffs and he appeared to be chuckling, which is beyond my comprehension.”

Willie said some police officers had their guns drawn while others were dealing with Sanderson.

Myles and his brother Damien Sanderson were named as suspects in a dangerous persons alert that was issued early Sunday morning after police received multiple reports of stabbings on the First Nation and then in the nearby community of Weldon, Sask. The deceased victims ranged in age between 23 and 78. RCMP did not disclose any information about the 18 others who were injured. The Saskatchewan Health Authority said today two patients remain in critical condition while eight others are stable.

The body of Damien Sanderson was found in a heavily grassed area on the James Smith Cree Nation on Monday near a house police were examining.

The victims of Sunday’s mass casualty in James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon, Saskatchewan. (submitted photos/RCMP)

Sanderson is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of break and enter in connection with the incident. RCMP also issued charges against Damien Sanderson before he was found dead; one count of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of break and enter. Investigators are working to determine whether Myles was a suspect in his brother’s death.

Family members of the stabbing victims spoke to the media through a press conference in Saskatoon this morning.

Saskatoon Tribal Chief Mark Arcand lost a nephew Gregory Burns, 28, and his sister Bonnie Burns, 48, in the attack. He said she died trying to protect her children who witnessed the event. Another woman who came to help Arcand’s sister also died at the scene.

“I tried to sleep that night and I woke up in the middle of the night just screaming…yelling…cause what I seen that day, I can’t get it out of my head,” he said.

Arcand also acknowledged another nephew who was present at the press conference noting he survived the attack despite being stabbed in the neck.

“He survived. These children have seen everything that day,” Arcand said. “I’m asking [the media] out of respect to leave them out of it. This is a serious time for our family… when you think about what I just told you and the nonsense of how this act destroyed our family. How come somebody do this to women and children? Words can’t express the pain that we’re feeling.”

A barricade was set up outside of the James Smith Cree Nation when the investigation began. (file photo/CKOM News Staff)

In the days that followed the initial attack on Sunday morning, several more alerts were sent to residents of Saskatchewan advising them to stay indoors and report suspicious activity. Police services from across Saskatchewan and into Manitoba and Alberta were part of the investigations. Officers focused their attention on Regina for much of the time, due to a possible sighting of the suspects.

On Tuesday afternoon police issued an alert saying Myles Sanderson may be on the James Smith Cree Nation but advised the public just three hours later that Sanderson remained at large.

Damien (left) and Myles Sanderson. (file photo/CKOM News Staff)

Myles Sanderson had a lengthy criminal past featuring 59 convictions according to the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). He was serving a federal sentence that started in September 2018 of four years, four months and 19 days for assault, assault with a weapon, robbery and mischief, assault on a peace officer, and uttering threats to cause harm.

Sanderson was on statutory release since August of 2021, but a warrant for his arrest was issued on May 24 of this year when he became unlawfully at large for breaching the conditions of his release by not reporting to his parole officer.

The exhaustive investigation for the suspects ended four days after it began, but the healing journey for the victim’s families is just beginning.

Nationwide support is available 24/7 for Indigenous peoples through the Hope for Wellness website and helpline: 1-855-242-3310.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertNOW

by Teena Monteleone

Manhunt over: Stabbing suspect captured near Rosthern

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