Canadian police are hunting for the remaining suspect in the stabbing deaths of 10 people in an Indigenous community and nearby town in the province of Saskatchewan after finding the body of his brother amid a massive manhunt for the pair.
Damien Sanderson, 31, was found dead on Monday near the stabbing sites and authorities believe his brother and fellow suspect, Myles Sanderson, 30, is injured, on the run and likely in the provincial capital of Regina, said police chief Evan Bray.
The series of stabbing also wounded 18 people.
RCMP Commanding Officer Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore said authorities are not sure of the cause of death yet but the injuries were not self-inflicted.
Damien Sanderson's "body was located outdoors in a heavily grassed area in proximity to a house that was being examined. We can confirm he has visible injuries," said Blackmore.
Asked if Myles Sanderson was responsible for his brother's death, Blackmore said police are investigating that possibility, but "we can't say that definitively at this point in time".
Blackmore said police were still determining the motive and that the criminal record of Myles Sanderson dates back years and includes violence. Last May, Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers issued a wanted list that included him writing that he was "unlawfully at large".
While authorities believe Myles Sanderson is in Regina, about 340 kilometres south of where the stabbings happened, they have issued alerts in Canada's three vast prairie provinces and contacted US border officials. The manhunt entered its third day on Tuesday.
Before Damien's body was found, arrest warrants were issued for the suspects and both men faced at least one count each of murder and attempted murder.
The stabbing attack was among the deadliest mass killings in Canada, where such crimes are less common than in the United States.
Police in Saskatchewan got their first call about a stabbing at 5.40 am on Sunday, and within minutes heard about several more. In all, dead or wounded people were found at 13 different locations on the sparsely populated reserve and in the town, Blackmore said. James Smith Cree Nation is about 30km from Weldon.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the attacks "shocking and heartbreaking" and had spoken with the leadership of the James Smith Cree Nation and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe to pledge his government's support.
"The federal government will be there with the resources necessary right now in this time of crisis but also we'll continue to work as partners in the weeks, months and years to come through grieving and healing," Trudeau said at the Ottawa airport, before flying to Vancouver for a meeting of Liberal ministers.
Australian Associated Press
