Victim of Saskatchewan stabbings described as ‘hero and true matriarch’

Police have identified the nine members of the James Smith Cree Nation and the one resident of a nearby village of Weldon who were victims of a mass killing spree in Saskatchewan on Sunday.

The dead, who range in age from 23 to 78, are Thomas Burns, Carol Burns, Gregory Burns, Lydia Gloria Burns, Bonnie Burns, Earl Burns, Lana Head, Christian Head, and Robert Sanderson of the First Nation and Wesley Petterson of Weldon.

Family of the Saskatchewan stabbing victims have shared these images of their loved ones, so that they are known and not forgotten.

61 yo Gloria Burns was an elder who helped others with addiction.

Her brother says she stabbed after being a first responder during the attack. pic.twitter.com/me3pYnivJx

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) September 7, 2022

Police have not revealed the relationship between those killed.

While police are not releasing the names of those injured in the attack, they have confirmed that a “young teen” was among them. As of Tuesday, 10 remained in hospitals, including three in critical condition.

At an emotional news conference, Bonnie Burns’ brother’s voice wavered as he said the family feels broken and hurt.

“Right outside of her home, she was killed by senseless acts. She was protecting her son. She was protecting three little boys,” Mark Arcand said.

“How can somebody do this to women and children? Words can’t express the pain that we’re feeling.”

Burns’s 28-year-old son Gregory was also killed in the attack, as was a woman who lived nearby and came to help. Another son, a teenager, was stabbed in the neck and survived, Arcand said.

Some younger children inside the home witnessed the attack and had to walk by the victims afterward, he added.

“I think they had to pass by their mom, and that innocent lady, and their brother laying outside, and they were taken away to family within the community.”

Arcand urged people to remember Bonnie Burns as a loving mother and foster parent who helped people in her community and cared for those around her. Her husband, Brian, sat beside Arcand but did not speak. Photographs of the family were displayed.

Arcand said coming to terms with the tragedy and why the attacks occurred will take time.

“We don’t know. We want to leave it at that. We need the RCMP to do their work, we need to let the professionals do their work, and we need to support that work.”

In a message sent to the Governor General and people of Canada on Wednesday, Queen Elizabeth said she mourns “with all Canadians at this tragic time.”

The Queen has sent a message to the Governor General and the people of Canada following the attacks in Saskatchewan:

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 7, 2022

The manhunt for Myles Sanderson, who is wanted on first-degree murder charges, continues after a tense police search yesterday came up empty.

RCMP searched but did not find Sanderson after a reported sighting yesterday on the First Nation prompted police drones, tactical vehicles and a helicopter to descend on the community, with residents already on edge and grieving.

His brother Damien Sanderson, who had also been a suspect in the killings, was found dead Monday in a grassy area not far from one of the crime scenes.

As the search enters its fourth day, police are asking the public to remain vigilant.

Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report