The man who carried out a stabbing rampage in a Saskatchewan First Nation was not identified by the province’s specialized enforcement team prior to the attack. Myles Sanderson was unlawfully at large when he killed 11 people and injured 17 on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the nearby community of Weldon, northeast of Saskatoon, on September 4, 2022, ultimately dying in police custody a few days later. There was a warrant for Sanderson issued a few months earlier by Saskatoon police, but the response team was not actively searching for him at that time.
Before the massacre, Mr. Sanderson had a criminal record and had received statutory release after his first federal prison sentence, but he was found to have been lying about his living arrangements, leading to a brief suspension of his release. However, his release was re-instated, and by May of that year, he was deemed unlawfully at large. The response team had been in place for five months prior to the killings, and includes the RCMP’s crime reduction team, a warrant enforcement suppression team, and the Saskatchewan trafficking response team.
Police said that 52 individuals were unlawfully at large in Saskatchewan on the day of the mass killing, with a total of 5,468 people on outstanding warrants. After the tragedy, the response team turned its focus to the case and one of their members apprehended Mr. Sanderson a few days after the attacks. A second inquest focusing on Mr. Sanderson’s death is scheduled for February.
The inquest has revealed Mr. Sanderson’s history of violence and incarceration, and his common-law partner, Vanessa Burns, testified about 14 years of domestic violence. Mr. Sanderson went to the First Nation to sell cocaine and while at the First Nation, he stabbed and killed several people, subsequently causing chaos with his brother, Damien Sanderson. An RCMP criminal profiler testified that some of Mr. Sanderson’s victims were targeted, while others simply got in the way.
Sherri Jule, director of emergency medical services for northern Saskatchewan, provided testimony about the response to the incident, describing the limited availability of paramedics at the scene and the coordination with law enforcement to ensure safety. Despite the difficulties, all 16 patients survived.
Inspectors with Provincial Protective Services and the leadership of the Chakastaypasin Band noted the emotional impact of the investigation, but expressed that important policy changes may result from the inquest.