2022 Saskatchewan stabbings

Prelude to the Attacks

On September 1, 2022, Myles Sanderson arrived at the James Smith Cree Nation to sell cocaine. The next day, on the afternoon of September 2, Myles assaulted his partner and tried to run her over with a vehicle. Damien Sanderson took him away. The brothers then picked up another woman, went to a bar in Kinistino, and later returned to the First Nation to sell cocaine again. At 4:03 a.m. on September 3, the RCMP received a call from Damien's wife about a stolen vehicle. Officers found Damien at a home at 5:35 a.m. but failed to identify him due to a false name and an outdated prison photograph.

Later that day, the brothers were dropped off at the same Kinistino bar around 1:30 p.m. They assaulted Gregory Burns at a home at 5:00 p.m. before separating. Damien went to another Kinistino bar and told a woman that he and his brother had a mission and that people would hear all about it in the next few hours. He reunited with Myles on the James Smith Cree Nation before midnight, where they assaulted another man who did not suffer serious injuries. At around 3:30 a.m. on September 4, the brothers stole a gray van and conducted their last known drug sale at 4:00 a.m. Witnesses later described them drinking alcohol and pumping themselves up for something before the attacks commenced.

The Attack Spree

According to the preliminary timeline released by the Saskatchewan RCMP in April 2023, the violent rampage began around 5:30 a.m. on September 4. The brothers first entered the home of Damien's wife, and when they could not find her, Damien told his two daughters they would not see him again. Around 5:40 a.m., they entered another house where Myles attacked a man with a pair of scissors. Damien intervened, telling the victim not to call police. Myles then took a knife from the kitchen, and the brothers left, after which the victim called 9-1-1. Myles and Damien got into a fight in the stolen van outside, which left Damien severely injured. He fled into nearby bushes where he later died.

Between 5:59 a.m. and 6:07 a.m., Myles Sanderson attacked five people, killing three in two separate homes. He then proceeded to Gregory Burns's home, killing him and attacking his mother Bonnie and two children. At 6:14 a.m., Sanderson attacked two victims at another home, and five minutes later attacked his former father-in-law Earl Burns and his wife before driving away. Earl Burns attempted to chase him in a school bus but died after it rolled into a ditch. After attacking eight additional people in three other homes and killing two more, Sanderson returned to Gregory Burns's home at 6:53 a.m. and attacked Bonnie Burns again, killing her. He also killed another woman who had gone to the home to help.

Sanderson then drove approximately 25 kilometres to the village of Weldon in a stolen SUV. Residents reported seeing him rummaging through a vehicle and stealing a first aid kit and a crowbar. At 8:19 a.m., Sanderson killed a man at a home in Weldon, marking the final homicide. Throughout the attacks, Sanderson repeatedly stole and abandoned vehicles to move between locations.

Police Response and Manhunt

The Saskatchewan RCMP were first notified of stabbings at multiple locations on the James Smith Cree Nation at 5:40 a.m. on September 4. Officers from Melfort were dispatched and began arriving at scenes by 6:18 a.m. At 7:12 a.m., the RCMP issued an emergency alert for the immediate region, identifying Myles and Damien Sanderson as suspects and advising residents to shelter in place and not approach the brothers. By 8:20 a.m., the alert was expanded to the entire province of Saskatchewan after it was confirmed the suspects had access to a vehicle. The alert was later extended to the neighbouring provinces of Alberta and Manitoba at the request of Saskatchewan RCMP.

Police established checkpoints between Regina and Prince Albert, and the brothers' vehicle was reportedly spotted in Regina at 11:45 a.m. The scale of the incident required a significant emergency response, with STARS air ambulances and road ambulances dispatched to triage and transport the wounded. The Saskatchewan Health Authority initiated a code orange to manage the influx of patients at local hospitals. The RCMP's extensive use of the emergency alert system during this manhunt was noted as a contrast to the communication failures during the 2020 Nova Scotia attacks.

• First RCMP notification: 5:40 a.m., September 4.
• First emergency alert issued: 7:12 a.m., September 4.
• Alert expanded province-wide: 8:20 a.m., September 4.
• Alert extended to Alberta and Manitoba: Later on September 4.
• Vehicle spotted in Regina: 11:45 a.m., September 4.
• At least 12 emergency alerts were issued between September 4 and 7.

The manhunt for Myles Sanderson continued for days. On September 5, Damien Sanderson was found dead on the James Smith Cree Nation. Police confirmed his wounds were not self-inflicted. That same day, Myles Sanderson was charged in absentia with first-degree murder, attempted murder, and breaking and entering in connection with the attacks. The RCMP later stated that Myles alone committed all eleven homicides, including that of his brother Damien.

Arrest and Death of Myles Sanderson

The manhunt concluded on September 7, 2022. At 2:07 p.m., a break-and-enter was reported in the town of Wakaw, and Sanderson was reportedly spotted northeast of the town armed with a knife. The RCMP issued an emergency alert at 2:49 p.m., warning the public that an armed man had stolen a white Chevrolet Avalanche and was last seen in Wakaw. At 3:17 p.m., an unmarked police vehicle spotted the stolen truck driving westbound on Highway 11 towards Rosthern. Police performed a PIT manoeuvre, forcing the truck into a ditch. Myles Sanderson was apprehended at 3:28 p.m. and identified as the driver. Sanderson entered medical distress at 3:33 p.m. and died in police custody later that day.

In February 2024, a forensic pathologist revealed the official cause of death was an acute cocaine overdose. The original vehicle Sanderson had been driving was found abandoned east of Crystal Springs on September 9. On October 6, 2022, the RCMP stated that evidence indicated Myles Sanderson was solely responsible for all eleven homicides, including the killing of his brother Damien. The RCMP also noted that while Damien was involved in initial planning, something may have changed when the rampage began.

Victims and Casualties

The attacks resulted in 11 deaths, and 17 injured individuals. All those killed were adults, ranging in age from 23 to 78 years old. As of September 7, ten of the injured remained hospitalized, with two in critical condition. Several of the victims were members of the Burns family and were in-laws to Myles Sanderson, who had previously admitted to stabbing two of them in 2015. The RCMP investigation involved 42 different crime scenes and interviews with more than 250 witnesses to piece together the events of that day.

The Perpetrator: Myles Sanderson

Myles Brandon Sanderson was 32 years old at the time of the attacks and had an extensive, violent criminal history. He had 59 previous convictions and had been charged with 125 crimes across 47 cases in Saskatchewan courts. His record included assault, robbery, mischief, making threats, and assaulting a police officer. Sanderson had been serving a five-year sentence for assault, robbery, mischief, and threats, and was granted statutory release in August 2021. He was subject to a lifetime ban from weapons and court-ordered conditions to abstain from alcohol and drugs.

Sanderson had been using cocaine since age 14 and had a documented history of rage and violence, particularly towards his intimate partners, often under the influence of substances. The Parole Board of Canada had acknowledged his high risk to re-offend violently. His statutory release was suspended after he violated parole, but the suspension was later lifted. Police had been searching for him since May 2022 when he stopped meeting with his caseworker and was classified as unlawfully at large. The Parole Board of Canada committed to reviewing the decision to release him following the attacks.

Aftermath and Reactions

In the immediate aftermath, the Joint Chiefs and Councils of the James Smith Cree Nation declared a local state of emergency until September 30 and established two emergency operations centres. The attacks occurred hours before the scheduled Labour Day Classic CFL game in Regina, which proceeded with a heightened police presence at Mosaic Stadium. Queen Elizabeth II, in her final public statement before her death, said she mourned with all Canadians. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe expressed that there were no words to adequately describe the pain and loss, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the stabbings horrific and heartbreaking.

Flags were lowered to half-mast on the Peace Tower, all federal buildings in Saskatchewan, and provincial government buildings for ten days. Universities, school boards, and municipalities across the province held vigils and offered condolences. On September 8, Indigenous leaders including Chief Wally Burns, Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte, Chief Bart Tsannie, and Vice Chief Christopher Jobb held a press conference calling for federal parole board reforms, greater community autonomy including tribal police, and increased support for mental health and addictions treatment. Darryl Burns, whose sister Gloria was killed, publicly stated that Damien Sanderson's widow should not bear guilt and that his family chose forgiveness, while also criticizing the fleeting media attention given to remote First Nation communities.

• Local state of emergency declared: September 4, 2022.
• Community press conference: September 8, 2022.
• RCMP preliminary timeline released: April 27, 2023.
• Coroner's inquests scheduled: 2024.
• Parole Board review committed: Following the attacks.

Investigations and Inquests

Multiple independent investigations were launched following the attacks. The Saskatchewan Coroners Service scheduled two inquests, one into the stabbing deaths and another into the death of Myles Sanderson, initially planned for 2024. The Saskatoon Police Service and the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) were tasked with conducting an independent investigation into the events, including the police response and Sanderson's death in custody. The RCMP's Major Crimes unit worked closely with the Coroners Service to ensure their preliminary timeline release in April 2023 did not compromise the upcoming inquests. That presentation was conducted after consultation with surviving victims and families to ensure a victim-focused and trauma-informed approach, and included ceremonial activities like smudging and a pipe ceremony to honour the victims.

Questions about 2022 Saskatchewan stabbings

How many people were killed and injured in the Saskatchewan stabbings?

The attacks resulted in 11 deaths and 17 people injured. All those who died were adults, with ages ranging from 23 to 78 years old. As of September 7, 2022, ten of the injured remained in hospital. Two of those hospitalized were reported to be in critical condition.

Who was Myles Sanderson and what was his criminal history?

Myles Brandon Sanderson was a 32-year-old man with 59 previous convictions. He had been charged with 125 crimes across 47 court cases, including assault, robbery, and assaulting a police officer. He was on statutory release after serving part of a five-year sentence and was unlawfully at large after violating his parole conditions. Sanderson had a lifetime weapons ban and a history of substance abuse and violence.

How did the police finally capture Myles Sanderson?

Myles Sanderson was captured on September 7, 2022, after a days-long manhunt. Following a report of a break-and-enter in Wakaw, an emergency alert was issued for a stolen white Chevrolet Avalanche. An unmarked police vehicle spotted the truck on Highway 11 near Rosthern. Police performed a PIT manoeuvre to force the vehicle into a ditch at 3:17 p.m., and Sanderson was apprehended at 3:28 p.m.

What was the cause of Myles Sanderson's death?

Myles Sanderson died from an acute cocaine overdose. This cause of death was revealed by a forensic pathologist in February 2024. He entered medical distress at 3:33 p.m. on September 7, 2022, shortly after his arrest in Rosthern, Saskatchewan. He died later that same day while in police custody.

What investigations followed the attacks?

Multiple investigations followed the attacks. The RCMP released a preliminary timeline of events in April 2023. The Saskatchewan Coroners Service scheduled two inquests, one into the stabbing deaths and another into Sanderson's death. The Saskatoon Police Service and the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team conducted an independent investigation into the events.

What were the main reactions from Indigenous community leaders?

Indigenous community leaders called for systemic reforms during a press conference on September 8, 2022. The leaders, including Chief Wally Burns, spoke at the Bernard Constant Community School in James Smith Cree Nation. They demanded federal parole board reforms and greater community autonomy, such as establishing tribal police. They also advocated for increased support for mental health and addictions treatment programs in their communities.

Sources and further reading

• 2022 Saskatchewan stabbings (Wikipedia)
• Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes shares preliminary ... (rcmp.ca)
• Ottawa orders Appeal Court to review Saskatchewan ... (globalnews.ca)
• Saskatchewan mass stabbings: Suspect violent in days ... (bbc.com)
• Suspect in Sask. stabbings found dead, while 2nd accused ... (cbc.ca)

Checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-10-26.