Manhunt Underway After Mass Stabbings in Canada

Facts

• On Sun.. two armed suspects stabbed 25 people, killing 10, at 13 locations in an Indigenous community and the surrounding area of Saskatchewan, Canada.
• The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) began a manhunt for Damien Sanderson, 31, and Myles Sanderson, 30. Both suspects are considered armed and dangerous and may have been last seen on Sun. morning in the city of Regina.
• Several of the attacks took place on the land of the James Smith Cree Nation and the nearby village of Weldon. One of the elected leaders of the three communities that make up the Nation, Chakastaypasin Chief Calvin Sanderson, said "Everyone's been affected ... They were our relatives, friends. Mostly we're all related here, so it's pretty hard ... it's pretty horrific."
• A motive for the attacks is still under investigation, but the RCMP believes that some victims were targeted while others may have been random.
• As the manhunt continues, authorities have warned residents of Regina to remain within secure areas and to be cautious.
• Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said he is "shocked and devastated" by the attacks. In response, the RCMP in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba are jointly investigating the stabbings, and support is being provided to the impacted communities.

Sources: CNN, Independent, Guardian, New York Times, and Daily Caller.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Al Jazeera. Canada doesn't match most countries in terms of the total number of mass killings, but across the country, there has been an increase in these tragedies in recent years, including a van driver killing 11 pedestrians in Toronto in 2018, and a man posing as a police officer shooting and killing 22 people in Nova Scotia in 2020. This is a concerning upward trend.
• Narrative B, as provided by Associated Press. For too long, Indigenous communities have been ignored. Indigenous people suffer higher levels of poverty and unemployment and have a lower life expectancy than other Canadians. Now we see the consequences of the community's drug epidemic and the disinterest of law enforcement. Incidents like this must convey the stress on Indigenous communities in the correct context, as well as the importance of leaders deeply listening to community needs.