Sunday’s attacks, which shook the Canadian nation and put the province of Saskatchewan on edge, involved 13 crime scenes, authorities said.
Less than three hours after the first attack was reported, authorities identified the suspects as brothers Damien Sanderson and Myles Sanderson.
On Monday morning, 31-year-old Damien Sanderson was found dead on the James Smith Cree Nation in a “grassy area” near a home, police said.
His injuries were not believed to be self-inflicted, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore said, adding that the exact cause of death would be determined by the Saskatchewan coroner’s office.
His 30-year-old brother is still at large and is considered “armed and dangerous,” Blackmore said. The man has an “extensive criminal record” and had warrants for his arrest before the stabbings, he said.
Police warned that Sanderson may also be injured and may try to seek medical attention, but did not provide further details on why they believe he may be injured.
“We have good reason to believe that he has sustained some injuries. We’re not exactly sure what those injuries are,” Blackmore said.
Although still at large, Myles Sanderson was charged with first degree murder, attempted murder and breaking and entering into a residence.
Police believe the suspect is in the city of Regina
The suspects are believed to be traveling in a black Nissan Rogue with a Saskatchewan license plate that was seen by a witness Sunday with two people inside in Regina, a town more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) south of the Cree Nation of James Smith. , according to the police.
Regina Police Chief Evan Bray said that while the lead on the car was already “compulsory,” it remained the most recent reliable information police had and “we’re still operating under the impression that Myles was located in the city of Regina.”
The vehicle has not yet been found and Bray said it is unknown who else was in the car other than Damien.
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Timeline of key events
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Sunday, September 4
5:40 am Saskatchewan police receive a call reporting a stabbing on the Cree Nation of James Smith. In the following minutes, additional stabbings are reported at different locations in the community.
7:12 a.m. Police issue a “dangerous person alert,” notifying residents of the James Smith Cree Nation and surrounding communities of the stabbings and asking the public to seek shelter.
7:57 am The alert is updated with the names, descriptions and pictures of the suspects. The suspects are identified as Damien Sanderson and Miles Sanderson.
8:20 am The dangerous person alert is being extended across the province of Saskatchewan after the investigation confirms that the suspects are traveling in a vehicle.
9:45 am An updated alert indicates that there are casualties in several locations, including the village of Weldon, and that some casualties may have been randomly targeted.
11:25 a.m. Requests are made to the authorities in Manitoba and Alberta to extend the alert to these provinces.
12:07 pm Following reports that the suspects’ vehicle was spotted in Regina, an alert is being sent to residents there.
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Monday, September 5
7:36 am Regina’s police chief says the manhunt continues.
11:30 a.m. Authorities find a man dead with injuries near a home on the James Smith Cree Nation. The body is later identified by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as that of Damien Sanderson.
17:53 Regina Police Chief Evan Bray says they are operating under the impression that Myles Sanderson is still in the city.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Times are local
“Is it possible that they’re no longer in this community? It’s possible, but we don’t have any information to refute or point us in any way,” Bray said.
Blackmore said police have not established a motive for the attacks and there is no word yet on what type of weapon was used. “It takes a significant amount of resources to process 13 crime scenes,” he said.
“There’s a lot of anxiety in our province right now in our communities and across the country,” Bray said. “And so we have to start the healing process and until we can make that arrest, that’s not going to happen.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the stabbings “horrific and heartbreaking.”
“I am shocked and devastated by today’s horrific attacks on the Cree Nation of James Smith and Weldon, Saskatchewan, which claimed the lives of 10 people and injured many more,” Trudeau said in a statement.
Few details about the siblings have been released.
Myles Sanderson, who remains at large, is about 6 feet 1 inch tall and 240 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
It is still unclear if he was involved in the death of Damien Sanderson, according to police.
“It’s an avenue of investigation that we’re following, but we can’t say definitively at this point,” Blackmore said.
How the attacks unfolded
On Monday, investigators were trying to figure out the order in which the attacks occurred. Blackmore said the stabbings didn’t necessarily happen in the order the calls came in, and it’s unclear whether the brothers are suspected of carrying out the attacks at the same time.
The first stabbing was reported to the James Smith Cree Nation at 5:40 a.m. local time, and minutes later they received several calls about stabbings elsewhere, police said.
The James Smith Cree Nation has a population of about 3,400 people with about 1,800 members living on the reservation, according to its website.
At 9:45 a.m., authorities reported casualties at several locations, including one in the village of Weldon, and that some victims may have been attacked at random.
In total, 28 people were injured, including 10 who died.
Helicopter crews took some victims to Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, while others were taken to local hospitals by ground ambulances. Police said there could be more injured people who were taken to various hospitals.
The victims included men and women of various age groups, some of whom were apparently targeted while others may have been attacked at random, according to Blackmore.
Police have not released information about the victims’ conditions or identities, but said the youngest was in his 20s.
About three hours after the first stabbing was reported, authorities identified the suspects as the Sanderson brothers and told the public they were driving the black Nissan Rogue SUV.
Around noon, an alert was sent out that the suspicious vehicle had been seen by a motorist on Arcola Avenue in Regina and told the public in Regina to shelter in place.
It wasn’t until the next morning that Damien Sanderson was found dead.
CNN’s Amy Simonson and Artemis Moshtaghian contributed to this report.