Canadian police on Monday issued arrest warrants for two fugitives who are the target of a massive manhunt after they allegedly carried out a knife shooting spree that killed 10 people and wounded 18.
The killings in the remote Indigenous community of the James Smith Cree Nation and the town of Weldon in western Canada’s Saskatchewan province are among the deadliest incidents of mass violence to ever strike the nation.
Police have been searching Saskatchewan and two neighboring provinces for the men since early Sunday, their motives remain unclear.
Evan Bray, police chief for the provincial capital Regina, said the two suspects may be hiding in the city – 300 kilometers (185 miles) from the scene of the attack – after suspected sightings in the area.
They “are still at large despite relentless efforts” to locate them, Bray said.
“There is a lot of sadness. There is a lot of fear in our province and in our communities,” he added, vowing to continue the persecution until the suspects are caught.
Federal police announced that multiple charges of murder, attempted murder and burglary had been filed against the couple, adding that “further charges are expected as the investigation unfolds.”
Authorities have released few details of the crimes, other than descriptions of the alleged attackers, who they say fled in a vehicle.
They have been identified as Myles and Damien Sanderson, aged 30 and 31 respectively, both with black hair and brown eyes.
Myles Sanderson was also wanted for a parole violation. Public broadcaster CBC said he disappeared in May after serving part of a five-year sentence for assault and robbery.
– Attacks “too common” –
In a video address in Ottawa, after ordering the flag to be lowered in Parliament to commemorate the victims, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the attacks were shocking and heartbreaking.
“This kind of violence has no place in our country,” he said. “Unfortunately, tragedies like this have become all too commonplace in recent years.”
Since 2017, Canada has witnessed a rioting gunman posing as a police officer kill 22 people in Nova Scotia, another killed six worshipers at a Quebec City mosque, and a van driver killed 11 pedestrians in Toronto.
Residents of the James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon spoke of their shock and devastation, identifying two of the victims as a 77-year-old widower and a 49-year-old mother of two.
Weldons Diane Shier told the Saskatoon Star Phoenix newspaper her neighbor – the widower – lives with his adult grandson, who was hiding in the basement and calling the police.
“It was about 7:30 a.m. My husband was in the garden. He saw police cars and an ambulance coming into town. It’s a small town. This is terrible, terrible. not go out,” she told the newspaper.
Roommate Ruby Works said the murders were haunting the city.
“Nobody in this town will ever sleep again. They’ll be scared to open their door,” Works said.
Another resident, Robert Rush, said he left his granddaughter at home to buy his wife a birthday cake. “I gave her two guns and a bat,” he said.
– 13 crime scenes –
Deputy Police Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore said authorities believe some of the victims were targeted and others were attacked indiscriminately.
The head of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, Bobby Cameron, lamented “the unspeakable violence that claimed the lives of innocent people”.
In a statement, he blamed the destruction on “harmful illegal drugs (which) are invading our communities.”
Blackmore said “maximum” police resources would be deployed to search for the suspects in Saskatchewan and neighboring provinces of Alberta and Manitoba.
“We are using all the human, investigative and technological resources at our disposal to locate and arrest those responsible for this tragedy,” she said.
Forensic teams could be seen on broadcast images combing 13 crime scenes in the Indigenous community and Weldon for clues as the manhunt continued across a vast region.
The Red Cross, meanwhile, told AFP it is helping to support the families of the victims and the affected communities.
Foreign leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel, and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid sent condolences, calling the attack “terrible,” “brutal,” and “pointless.” “
