Residents of Canada's Saskatchewan province were urged to stay cautious Tuesday as one of two suspects in Sunday's mass killing remained at large.
A sighting of Myles Sanderson, 30, was reported on the James Smith Cree Nation north of Melfort, but the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or RCMP, said he was nowhere to be found, and investigators didn't believe he was there Tuesday evening.
“As the whereabouts of Myles Sanderson 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 a statement Tuesday.
The alert was issued after 10 people were killed and 17 were injured in one of the worst outbreaks of violence in Saskatchewan history. The victims, some of whom have been identified, were found on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the village of Weldon, authorities said.
On Monday, Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore, the commanding officer of the Saskatchewan RCMP, said at a news conference that the cause of death hadn’t been established.
“We believe the victims were stabbed, but that is still being confirmed,” she said.
After the violence Sunday morning, police quickly named Myles Sanderson and Damien Sanderson, 31, his brother as suspects; they haven't said why.
Police said Monday that Damien Sanderson had been found dead on the James Smith Cree Nation of unspecified injuries.
A vehicle associated with the duo, a black Nissan Rogue with Saskatchewan plate 119 MPI, remained unaccounted for.
Of the 17 people injured in Sunday's attacks, 10 remained hospitalized Tuesday, three of whom were said to be in critical condition, according to the Saskatchewan Health Authority.
Among the deceased who have been identified was Earl Burns, a veteran. The Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association said in a statement that it has sent "sincere condolences" to his survivors.
The death of Lana Head, 49, was confirmed to the Canadian Broadcasting Company by her former partner, Michael Brett Burns. She also left behind two adult daughters.
Gloria Burns, 62, worked at the James Smith Cree Nation health clinic and was responding to a crisis call when she was killed, the CBC reported.
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations planned a news conference about the attacks Thursday.
Chief Bobby Cameron of the federation said in a statement that the attacks have caused widespread unease, stress and panic.
"We are pleading to all of the people of Saskatchewan to share any relevant information you may have," he said. "Someone out there knows something. We beg you to come forward for the sake of the families and communities and share that information with the authorities."
