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Miles Sanderson
The suspect in a stabbing that left 10 dead and 18 injured in Canada has died after being arrested by police, officials said.
Police earlier said Miles Sanderson was arrested in Saskatchewan on Wednesday afternoon.
Footage from the scene showed a white SUV surrounded by police cruisers near the town of Rostern.
Ten wounded victims are still in hospital, three of whom are in critical condition.
Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore told a news conference on Wednesday evening that police received a report earlier in the day that Sanderson had stolen a car from outside a property. The homeowner was not injured during the theft.
Police launched a chase after Sanderson fled at 150 km/h. Blackmore said they hit his car and found a knife in it when he was arrested.
She added that shortly after his arrest, Sanderson went into a “medical ordeal” and was taken to a hospital in Saskatoon, where he died.
The police have already charged him with first-degree murder, attempted murder, door-breaking and housebreaking.
News of the suspect’s arrest came shortly after an alert was sent to Canadian cellphone users on Wednesday afternoon, urging people near the town of Wakau to “seek immediate shelter in place” because a man armed with a knife was seen driving in the area.
Rostern is located 44 km west of Wakau. Police have now rescinded that earlier warning and say there is no further danger to people.
It was also suspected that his brother Damien Sanderson played a role in Sunday’s attacks in a rural area. On Monday, police found his body and are now investigating whether his brother killed him during the chase.
On Wednesday, the brothers’ parents pleaded for their fugitive son to turn himself in.
“I want to apologize for my son and my children,” his mother said in an interview with CBC News.
“We don’t know the full story, but I want to apologize to everyone who was injured and affected by this terrible situation.”
Canada’s Parole Board said Tuesday it will review why Miles Sanderson was released early from prison while serving a four-year sentence for multiple violent crimes.
In February, the council said it “would not present an excessive risk” and that his release would “contribute to the protection of society” by facilitating his rehabilitation.
Saskatoon police previously confirmed that they had been searching for Miles Sanderson since May, when he stopped meeting with his assigned caseworker and was classified as “illegally at liberty”.
The moment Miles Sanderson was arrested in Rostern, Saskatchewan
Parole documents show that Miles Sanderson has had a criminal record spanning decades, including 59 criminal convictions since he was 18, including assault, threatening and robbery.
The files also indicate that he suffered throughout his traumatic childhood, which included acts of violence and drug abuse.
“I want to know the reasons for the (conditional release) decision,” Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino told reporters. “I am very concerned about what happened here.”
At a touching press conference on Wednesday, relatives of the victims spoke of the “horrificness” of the attack, which terrified the country.
“We collapse, but we are not defeated,” said Mark Arcand, head of the Saskatoon Tribal Council and brother of Bonnie Goodvoice Burns.
Bonnie, 48, and her son Gregory Burns, 28, were killed.
“She took care of everyone” and was a “real mom,” said Bonnie’s brother, adding that Gregory loved his family and had two children and had a third on the way.
photo released, Getty Images
From the location of Miles Sanderson’s arrest in Rostern, Saskatchewan
With a smile on his lips, Arcand said he “didn’t like” being in a room with Bonnie and her husband Brian, “because all they would do was laugh at us and jokes”.
Chief Arcand recalled the horror he felt after hearing the news of the attack, as he drove alone for two hours to reach his sister and her family.
“The scene was one of the most shocking,” he said.
He explained that Bonnie was a “hero,” adding that she died protecting her three young children. One of the children was stabbed but survived.
“These two boys woke up screaming because they couldn’t help,” he said. “One of the boys was hiding behind a high chair watching everything that was going on.”
Four days after the stabbing incidents, there are still more questions than answers.
photo released, Archyde.com / Sask First Nations Veterans Association
Some of the victims of the attack: from left to right: Gloria Burns, Carol Burns, Bonnie Burns and Earl Burns Sr.
It is unclear whether Miles Sanderson acted alone or with assistance.
Police said they believed some of the victims were targets, but did not provide any information about a possible motive.
“I am sure that the Canadian Parole Board will investigate the decision,” Mendicino told reporters Tuesday evening.
“There will be an appropriate time and place to review policy and resources and we need to embrace that review, we need to be transparent with Canadians to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again,” he added.