Canada hunts suspects in stabbing spree

Canadian police began a manhunt for two suspects in a stabbing spree that killed 10 people and wounded at least 15 others mostly in a sparsely populated indigenous community early Sunday.

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 program that encourages the public to cooperate with police.

The two men were seen traveling in a black Nissan Rogue and spotted in the city of Regina, about 320 km (200 miles) 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,” Rhonda Blackmore, commanding officer of the Saskatchewan Royal Canadian Mounted Police, told a news conference.

There may be additional injured victims who transported themselves to various hospitals, police said.

Multiple stabbings

The stabbings across 13 crime scenes were among the deadliest mass killings in modern Canadian history.

The first stabbings were reported at 5:40 a.m. (1140 GMT) and within three hours police issued a province-wide dangerous persons alert.

By the afternoon, similar alerts were also issued in Saskatchewan’s neighboring provinces Alberta and Manitoba.

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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 suspicious people.

“Do not leave a secure location. Use caution allowing others into your residence,” one advisory said.

“I am shocked and devastated by the horrific attacks today.

“As Canadians, we mourn with everyone affected by this tragic violence, and with the people of Saskatchewan.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement.

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 Saskatchewan Health Authority activated an emergency response bringing in additional staff to treat to victims, later declaring 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.

Zainab Sa’id