“Horrible and heartbreaking,” says Trudeau
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has issued a statement of support for the families of those killed in today’s attacks.
The attacks in Saskatchewan today are horrific and heartbreaking. I think of those who have lost a loved one and those who have been injured,” he said in a tweet issued at 7:30 p.m.
We are closely monitoring the situation and ask everyone to follow updates from local authorities. Thanks to all the brave first responders for their efforts on the ground.”
The attacks in Saskatchewan today are horrific and heartbreaking. I think of those who have lost a loved one and those who have been injured.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 4, 2022
Updated at 02.33 BST
Key events
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The sparsely populated communities of James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon are reeling from the attacks on their residents today.
James Smith Cree Nation is an indigenous community with a population of about 3,400 people who are primarily engaged in agriculture, hunting and fishing.
Weldon is a village of about 200 people.
Aerial view of Weldon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Photo: Wikimedia
The suspects urged to surrender
Police are asking the two identified suspects, Damien Sanderson and Myles Sanderson, to turn themselves in.
Saskatchewan RCMP Assistant Commissioner and Commander Rhonda Blackmore said in a statement:
To be clear, we are still looking for both suspects. We ask residents of Saskatchewan and our neighboring provinces to be vigilant. At this stage of our investigation, we believe some of the victims were attacked by the suspects and others were attacked at random.
The two suspects are Damien Sanderson and Myles Sanderson… If they are listening I would like to ask them to turn themselves in to the police.
They are considered armed and dangerous. They are believed to be in a black Nissan Rogue SUV with Saskatchewan license plate 119 MPI. At this time, we do not know if they have changed vehicles since this morning. His location and direction of travel are unknown.”
Chronology of events
5.40am – Police begin receiving reports of stabbings in the James Smith Cree Nation. More reports of additional attacks quickly follow. Melfort RCMP officers are dispatched to the reported locations.
7:12 a.m. – A dangerous person alert is issued to residents of the James Smith Cree Nation and surrounding communities, including Candle Lake, Prince Albert, Melfort, Humboldt and Rosthern, informing the public of stabbings committed by two male suspects and asking the public to seek immediate shelter and shelter in place. It later expanded to cover Manitoba and Alberta.
07:57: An updated alert is sent to the same communities, with the names, descriptions and images of the two suspects identified as Damien Sanderson and Myles Sanderson.
8:20 a.m. – The dangerous person alert extends to the entire province of Saskatchewan. Damian Sanderson and Myles Sanderson are confirmed to be traveling in a vehicle.
9:45 a.m.: A fourth dangerous person alert is sent across the province, indicating that multiple victims have been found in multiple locations, including one victim outside the James Smith Cree Nation in the community of Weldon, Saskatchewan. Police say some victims are believed to have been attacked at random. A description of the suspect vehicle, a black Nissan Rogue with Saskatchewan license plate 119 MPI, is being released.
12.07 pm – A fifth alert update is sent out informing Saskatchewan residents that a driver saw the suspicious vehicle on Arcola Avenue in Regina about 320 km (200 miles) south of the attacks on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the village of Weldon. The Regina public is encouraged to consider accommodation.
3:40 p.m. – RCMP confirm 10 people died while at least 15 others were taken to hospital with injuries during a press conference.
Updated at 01.56 BST
Another witness has come forward giving a little more detail about Weldon on the morning of the attacks.
Doreen Lees, an 89-year-old grandmother from Weldon, said she and her daughter thought they saw one of the suspects when a car drove down her street early this morning while her daughter was drinking coffee on the deck .
Lees said a man approached them and said he was hurt and needed help, but left and ran after his daughter told him she was going to call for help.
I wouldn’t show my face. He was wearing a big jacket over his face. We asked for his name and he mumbled his name twice and we still couldn’t get it,” he told the Associated Press. “He said his face was so hurt he couldn’t show it.”
He said the man was alone and “a little wobbly.”
I followed him a bit to see if he would be okay. My daughter said don’t follow him, come back here’”.
Authorities say there are 13 crime scenes where victims were found across Saskatchewan, including James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon.
Canadian police say multiple people have died at 13 locations in two Saskatchewan communities. Photograph: AP
In response to the attacks, the James Smith Cree Nation declared a state of emergency and several locations increased security.
Mosaic Stadium, home of the Saskatchewan Roughriders game, also increased its security presence.
“As a result, additional members of law enforcement have been deployed in and around Mosaic Stadium,” the statement said.
“The club operates a centralized command center on game day which allows immediate connection to local emergency services and the ability to receive up to the minute information when any type of emergency occurs.”
Additional personnel have been called in to help treat the victims as multiple patients are being treated at multiple locations, a Saskatchewan Health Authority spokesperson said in a statement.
Additional personnel were called in to respond to the influx of victims,” authority spokeswoman Anne Linemann said in an email to The Associated Press.
Stars Air Ambulance spokesman Mark Oddan said two helicopters were dispatched from Saskatoon and one from Regina.
He said two brought patients to Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, while the third brought a patient to Royal University from a hospital in Melfort, a short distance southeast of Weldon.
Oddan said that due to privacy laws, he could not disclose information about their ages, genders or conditions.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has also issued a statement to the community, describing the attacks as “senseless violence.”
There are no words to adequately describe the pain and loss caused by this senseless violence. All of Saskatchewan grieves with the victims and their families,” Moe tweeted Sunday evening.
I want to offer my deepest condolences on behalf of the government and people of Saskatchewan to all the family and friends of the victims of today’s terrible attacks.”
I want to offer my deepest condolences on behalf of the government and people of Saskatchewan to all the family and friends of the victims of today’s terrible attacks.
— Scott Moe (@PremierScottMoe) September 4, 2022
“Horrible and heartbreaking,” says Trudeau
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has issued a statement of support for the families of those killed in today’s attacks.
The attacks in Saskatchewan today are horrific and heartbreaking. I think of those who have lost a loved one and those who have been injured,” he said in a tweet issued at 7:30 p.m.
We are closely monitoring the situation and ask everyone to follow updates from local authorities. Thanks to all the brave first responders for their efforts on the ground.”
The attacks in Saskatchewan today are horrific and heartbreaking. I think of those who have lost a loved one and those who have been injured.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 4, 2022
Updated at 02.33 BST
Suspects still at large
The search for two suspects, Damien Sanderson and Myles Sanderson, is still ongoing as police urge residents not to approach suspicious individuals.
Both were said to have black hair and brown eyes and were possibly driving a black Nissan Rogue.
The Regina Police Service said in a press release that, with the assistance of the Royal Canadian Mountain Police, it was working on multiple fronts to locate and arrest the suspects and had “deployed additional public safety resources throughout the city, including the football match at Mosaic Stadium.
Authorities identified Damien Sanderson, left, and Myles Sanderson, right, who are now at large, as suspects in a series of stabbings in two communities in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan that left several people dead and others injured. Photograph: AP
The alert first issued by RCMP in Melfort, Saskatchewan around 7 a.m. was expanded hours later to cover Manitoba and Alberta as the two suspects remained at large.
Police said the last information they had from the public was that the suspects were seen in Saskatchewan’s capital, Regina, around lunchtime.
If you are in the Regina area, please take precautions and consider sheltering in place,” the RCMP said in a message on Twitter.
Don’t leave a safe place. DO NOT APPROACH suspicious people. Don’t pick up hitchhikers. Report suspicious persons, emergencies or information to 9-1-1. Do not reveal police locations.”
Updated 01.04 BST
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner in Saskatchewan Rhonda Blackmore and Regina Police Chief Evan Bray spoke to the media earlier Sunday.
Blackmore confirmed that 10 people were killed and 15 others were injured in the attacks.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner in Saskatchewan Rhonda Blackmore and Regina Police Chief Evan Bray spoke to the media earlier Sunday. Photograph: Michael Bell/AP
Weldon resident Diane Shier said she was in her yard…