Canada police arrest fugitive suspect in mass stabbings

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on Wednesday said the second suspect in the fatal stabbings of 10 people in Saskatchewan province has been found and taken into custody.

Police said that the 32-year-old male, Myles S., was located close to the town of Rosthern following a three-day manhunt.

“There is no longer a risk to public safety relating to this investigation,” the RMCP said following the arrest.

The fugitive’s brother, Damien S., was found dead on Monday near the scene of the crime. He is also believed to have been involved in the stabbing spree.

The act of violence, which targeted members of a remote Indigenous community, has left the country in a state of shock.

What happened in the attack?

Police were first called to the James Smith Cree Nation on Monday morning.

The attack left 10 people dead and another 18 injured across 13 different locations in the sparsely populated area.

The reserve is home to some 3,400 people.

The local Indigenous communities declared a state of emergency as the killers were not immediately apprehended.

Police were quick to identify the suspects but took several days to track down the older brother.

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations has suggested that the motive for the violence may have been drug-related. Police have not given any official explanation for the motive.

‘Heartbreaking’ act of violence

The rampage is one of the most violent episodes in Canada’s history. The country is not used to mass killings.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the attacks “shocking and heartbreaking.” 

Police said that some of the victims appeared to have been targeted whereas others may have been random.

They are also investigating whether Myles S. was responsible for the death of his brother.

Editor’s note: Deutsche Welle follows the German press code, which stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals or victims and obliges us to refrain from revealing full names in such cases. 

ab/rc (AP, Reuters)

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/canada-police-arrest-fugitive-suspect-in-mass-stabbings/a-63050104?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf