The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Saskatchewan said they located a vehicle believed to have been used by a suspect in last Sunday’s deadly stabbing attacks.
Posted at 10:11 p.m.
Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore claimed in a video statement that the abandoned black Nissan Rogue vehicle was found Friday morning by officers during a ground search in an area near the hamlet of Crystal Springs, about 130 kilometers northeast of Saskatoon.
“The vehicle had been driven off a gravel road behind trees and was not visible from the main road,” Ms.me Blackmore.
The vehicle matched one that police included in an emergency alert on Sunday following stabbings that left 10 dead and 18 injured in the James Smith Cree Nation and neighboring community of Weldon. Two suspects also died.
Myles Sanderson, 32, died on Wednesday, ending a four-day manhunt. RCMP had been searching the area near the communities of Wakaw and Crystal Springs after reports that a truck had been stolen by a man with a knife.
The police chased the truck and it fell into a ditch. RCMP say Myles Sanderson was arrested, but soon after he fell into medical distress and was pronounced dead in hospital.
Myles Sanderson and the other suspect, his 31-year-old brother Damien Sanderson, were both wanted for first-degree murder, attempted murder and breaking and entering. Damien Sanderson was found dead near one of 18 crime scenes on Monday. RCMP said Myles Sanderson is also being investigated in his brother’s death.
Mme Blackmore said a person who thought he saw Myles Sanderson walking on a road in the rural area around Crystal Springs on Sunday night called to report it to police on Thursday.
Given the timing and description of the man, said Mme Blackmore, police began searching the area by land and air with any indication that Myles Sanderson had been there.
“We never know when a seemingly insignificant clue can lead us to crucial evidence,” she said.
She encouraged others in the area to report any suspicious activity on their properties to help the RCMP establish a timeline.
Ongoing investigation
Police are still investigating what happened during the attacks and after, she said.
“This is and continues to be one of the most complex investigations and one of the most urgent public safety incidents in Saskatchewan history, and it is still a criminal investigation in course,” said Mr.me Blackmore.
She had claimed earlier that because both suspects are dead, the motive for the murders may never be known.
The Saskatoon Police Department has announced that it will investigate the death in custody of Myles Sanderson. The Serious Incident Response Team, a civilian-led provincial group, will also investigate.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority said Friday afternoon that eight of the injured remain hospitalized in stable condition.