Police have launched an urgent hunt for two men who are believed to have knifed 10 people to death and injured 15 others in a random string of attacks in Saskatchewan, Canada.
The two suspects were named as Damien Sanderson, aged 31, and Myles Sanderson, 30. They are currently on the run following the violent stabbings, according to Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
According to Daily Mail report, the series of stabbings took place in multiple locations on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the village of Weldon, northeast of Saskatoon, on Sunday, September 4, 2022.
The Assistant Commissioner of the RCMP Saskatchewan, Rhonda Blackmore, said that some of the victims appeared to have been targeted by the suspects but others seemed to have been attacked at random. She couldn’t provide a motive.
Coroners, police officers, and forensic teams gathered at the scenes of the grizzly deaths on Sunday as they continued to piece together evidence and hunt down the two men.
Speaking at a news conference in Regina, Blackmore said: “Let me be clear, we are still looking for the two suspects. We are asking residents across Saskatchewan and our neighbouring provinces to be vigilant.”
Blackmore added: “Our thoughts are with the many victims deceased and injured their family, friends and communities. It is horrific what has occurred in our province today.
“If Damian and Myles are listening or receive this information, I would ask that they turn themselves in to police immediately.”
Following the fatal stabbing spree, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: “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.
“We are closely monitoring the situation, and urge everyone to follow updates from local authorities.”
He continued: “Thank you to all the brave first responders for their efforts on the ground.”
Police confirmed that there were 13 crime scenes, where either deceased or injured people were found.
Damien is described as five feet seven inches tall and 155 pounds, and Myles is described as as six-foot-one and 200 pounds. Both have black hair and brown eyes and may be driving a black Nissan Rogue.
RCMP said the two suspects might have been travelling in the Arcola Avenue area around 11:45 Sunday morning.
But Blackmore added: “We can’t say with 100 percent certainty where they are right now.”
The RCMP said in a message on Twitter: “If in the Regina area, take precautions & consider sheltering in place. Do not leave a secure location. DO NOT APPROACH suspicious persons. Do not pick up hitch hikers.
“Report suspicious persons, emergencies or info to 9-1-1. Do not disclose police locations.”
The Regina Police Service said in a news release that with the help of Mounties, it was working on several fronts to locate and arrest the suspects and had “deployed additional resources for public safety throughout the city, including the football game at Mosaic Stadium.”
The alert first issued by Melfort, Saskatchewan RCMP about 7am was extended hours later to cover Manitoba and Alberta, as the two suspects remained at large.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority said multiple patients were being treated at several sites.
“A call for additional staff was issued to respond to the influx of casualties,” authority spokeswoman Anne Linemann said in an email.
Mark Oddan, a spokesman with STARS Air Ambulance, said two helicopters were dispatched from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and another from Regina.
He said two carried patients to the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, while the third carried a patient to Royal University from a hospital in Melfort, a short distance southeast of Weldon.
Oddan said due to privacy laws, he could not disclose information about their ages, genders or conditions.
Diane Shier, a resident of Weldon resident Diane Shier told the VC Star that her neighbour, a man who lived with his grandson, was killed. She did not want to identify the victim out of respect for his family.
