JAMES SMITH CREE NATION – RCMP are conducting door-to-door resident checks on James Smith Cree Nation and the nation has declared a state of emergency after 10 people were killed and 15 more injured followed attacks on the First Nation today. Police say the attacks occurred at 13 different locations.
The two suspects are Damien Sanderson and Myles Sanderson. Damien Sanderson is five-foot-seven and 155 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Myles Sanderson is six-foot-one and 200 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
JSCN leaders said that the attacks occurred in the early morning hours on Sept. 4. Two Emergency Operations Centres have been set up to provide health support to the communities.
Area residents posted on social media that RCMP are conducting door-to-door checks and have closed the Weldon Ferry.
The suspects may be in black Nissan Rogue with Saskatchewan licence plate 119 MPI. They may have changed vehicles, but police aren't certain.
Tiaraa posted a photo of a black Nissan on social media saying the suspects stole her brother’s vehicle this morning when they entered their home on James Smith Cree Nation. Another resident of James Smith posted on social media saying the two suspects were kicking in doors of residents' homes. Another resident posted that the two have split up with one suspect headed towards Weldon and another to Kinistino. These allegations haven't been verified by the RCMP.
RCMP say that the suspects may have been seen last in Regina but this isn't confirmed.
RCMP expanded the alert from across Saskatchewan, to neighbouring prairie provinces of Alberta, and Manitoba.
Police say that one of the dead was in Weldon and nine were on James Smith Cree Nation.
The RCMP issued a statement saying that on Sept. 4 at 5:40 a.m., the Saskatchewan RCMP Divisional Operational Communications Center received a call about a stabbing on the James Smith Cree Nation. In the following minutes their DOCC received multiple calls reporting additional stabbings, at different locations in the community.
Melfort RCMP officers and other resources were immediately dispatched to the locations in the community, to help the victims and to track the two suspects.
At 7:12 a.m., Saskatchewan RCMP issued an initial Dangerous Persons Alert 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 being committed by two male suspects, and asking the public to seek immediate shelter and shelter in place.
At 7:57 a.m., an updated Alert was sent to the same communities, with the names, descriptions, and pictures of the two suspects.
At 8:20, the Dangerous Persons Alert was extended to the entire Province of Saskatchewan, as the investigation confirmed the two suspects – Damian Sanderson and Myles Sanderson – were travelling in a vehicle.
At 9:45 a.m., a fourth Dangerous Persons Alert was sent to the entire province, indicating multiple victims in multiple locations were located, including one victim outside of the James Smith Cree Nation in the community of Weldon, Saskatchewan, and that some victims were believed to be attacked randomly. A description of the suspect vehicle and the correct picture to identify Myles Sanderson were included.
At 11:25 a.m. RCMP sent requests to Manitoba RCMP and Alberta RCMP to extend the Dangerous Persons Alert to the residents of their provinces.
At 12:07 p.m. a fifth Alert update was sent advising the residents of Saskatchewan the suspect vehicle had been seen by a driver on Arcola Avenue in Regina and asked the public in Regina to consider sheltering in place.
RCMP say that there may be additional injured victims who transported themselves to the various hospitals and they ask any injured person who hasn’t already spoken to police to please contact 310-RCMP (306-310-7267).
“Currently, we are actively looking for the two suspects, helping the victims and investigating the many crime scene,” said Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore, the Commanding Officer of Saskatchewan RCMP.
“We are dedicating a maximum number of resources to this investigation, and thank our many provincial and inter-provincial policing partners who are providing additional support.
“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. At this stage in our investigation, we believe some of the victims have been targeted by the suspects and others have been attacked randomly.”
Blackmore urged the two suspects to turn themselves in to police.
They are considered armed and dangerous. They are believed to be in a black Nissan Rogue SUV with Saskatchewan licence plate 119 MPI. At this point, police don’t know if they have changed vehicle since this morning. Their location and direction of travel are unknown. This is why police say they need everyone in the province to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity by calling 911 immediately.
If you see the suspects and/or their vehicle, do not approach them or their vehicle, immediately leave the area, and call 911.
“Our thoughts are with the many victims - deceased and injured - their families, friends and communities. It’s horrific what has occurred in our province today. Know that the Saskatchewan RCMP is committed and will remain committed to use every resource we have to locate and arrest these two individuals,” said Blackmore.
Emergency rooms across the province are responding to the mass casualty situation with multiple reports of emergency rooms accepting patients from STARS Air Ambulance in connection to the incident. There have been social media reports that Code Orange was activated at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon and a nurse saying she hasn't seen this since the Bronco's bus crash.
STARS Air Ambulance confirmed on Twitter they had dispatched STARS-11 and STARS-12 helicopters from Saskatoon, and STARS-9 from Regina, to James Smith Cree Nation.
More to come. This is a developing story
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