Murray Wood: Who's scary... and who's scary good?
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RCMP barricades came down at the James Smith Cree Nation just before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday after the Mounties didn’t find murder suspect Myles Sanderson in the community.
More than two hours after @RCMPSK civil alert was issued for possible Myles Sanderson sighting. No update from police yet. Seems to be more vehicle movement. @RCMPSK barricade now coming down. @CKOMNews police leaving en masse. pic.twitter.com/IwvUqTLgbC
— Lara Fominoff (@LaraFominoff) September 6, 2022
Just before 3 p.m., the RCMP updated the dangerous persons alert it initially had issued at 11:40 a.m., after the Mounties were told the 32-year-old Sanderson had been seen in the area. The update said he wasn’t found during Tuesday’s search.
As a result, police are continuing their search for him.
“As his whereabouts remain unknown, the emergency alert is active for the entire province and we continue to urge the public to take appropriate precautions,” the RCMP said in the updated alert.
Sanderson is a suspect in the stabbing deaths of nine people on the James Smith Cree Nation and one person in the nearby community of Weldon.
Sanderson has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of break and enter in connection with the incident that began Sunday. A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Sanderson is described as being about 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone who sees him should immediately call 911.
After the alert was updated Tuesday, numerous police cars were spotted on the highway heading for the James Smith Cree Nation.
Significant police response on #JamesSmithCreeNation right now where first degree murder suspect Myles Sanderson may have been spotted earlier. At least 12 police vehicles responding. No ambulances or fire response at this point. @CKOMNews @CJMENews pic.twitter.com/Vukj4BwnnE
— Lara Fominoff (@LaraFominoff) September 6, 2022
Residents of the area were told to seek immediate shelter or shelter in place, to use caution when allowing others into their home, to report suspicious people, and to avoid approaching suspicious people.
The search proved fruitless.
RCMP vehicles at the James Smith Cree Nation on Sept. 6, 2022. (Lara Fominoff/650 CKOM)
The manhunt has been on for Sanderson since police first received reports of the stabbings Sunday.
A dangerous persons alert was issued Sunday morning before the Regina Police Service got reports of a possible sighting in the city of the vehicle in which Sanderson and his brother, Damien, were believed to be travelling.
That prompted Regina police and RCMP to scour the area. RPS Chief Evan Bray said officers had corroborated the reports of the vehicle’s sighting, but there wasn’t any concrete evidence that the Sandersons were in the city.
Damien Sanderson also was a suspect in the mass murder, but his body was found on the James Smith Cree Nation on Monday morning.
Correctional Service Canada (CSC) has provided information on Myles Sanderson’s extensive criminal record, which features 59 convictions.
The details provided to paNOW paint Sanderson as a federal offender.
“He is serving a federal sentence of 4 years 4 months 19 days for assault, assault with a weapon, robbery, mischief, assault on a peace officer, uttering threats to cause harm,” the statement by the CSC read. “His sentence began on September 24, 2018. He was on statutory release since August 27, 2021 and was being supervised in the community.
“Of note, statutory release is mandated by law. By law, the Correctional Service of Canada must release most offenders with supervision after they have served 2/3’s of their sentence, if they have not already been granted parole. Offenders serving a life sentence are not eligible for statutory release.”
The statement went on to say that Sanderson has been unlawfully at large since May 24. A warrant for Sanderson’s arrest was issued on that same day which was shared with the police.
More to come.
