Manitobans in border towns on alert during Sask. manhunt

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This article was published 05/09/2022 (841 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Residents of Manitoba communities that border Saskatchewan are on edge as the manhunt continues for a man wanted in one of the worst mass killings in modern Canadian history.

RCMP officers are monitoring roads in western Manitoba and urging people to remain vigilant, although there is nothing to suggest fugitive Myles Sanderson, 30, is in or is headed to the province.

Sanderson and his 31-year-old brother, Damien, who was found dead Monday, are accused of killing 10 people and injuring 18 in a stabbing spree in James Smith Cree Nation and nearby Weldon, Sask., on Sunday.

While they take precautions and watch for suspicious activity, Manitobans who live near the border hope the fugitive is found soon.

“We’re locking our doors and taking our keys out of our vehicles,” said Barry Lowes, reeve of the Rural Municipality of Ellice-Archie, which borders Saskatchewan and is about 140 kilometres northwest of Brandon. “We never lock our doors at home, but we are now, just in case. It’s a terrible tragedy.”

The search for Sanderson has drawn comparisons to the hunt for two teenage murder suspects from B.C. three summers ago.

“That’s the same kind of deal. They’re going to stop at nothing to keep going,” said Lowes. “That’s what you worry about.”

Manitoba RCMP has sent officers from its east and west crime reduction enforcement support teams to help with investigations at crime scenes in Saskatchewan. The emergency response team is on standby.

“Our western detachments near the Saskatchewan border are continuously monitoring the highways near the border,” spokesman Sgt. Paul Manaigre wrote in an email. “At this time, the intel suggest that Myles Sanderson has not left the province of Saskatchewan but we continue to remind the public to remain vigilant and call police if any suspicious activity is seen.

“Do not approach the suspect, instead call 911 and provide your location. For anyone travelling, please do not pick up any hitchhikers.”

Premier Heather Stefanson has reached out to Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe to offer assistance and express sympathies on behalf of Manitobans.

Moe did not request assistance, but he thanked Stefanson for her concern, a spokeswoman for Manitoba’s premier said.

As the manhunt entered its third day, Manitobans received another text message alert about the fugitive Tuesday while police agencies in Saskatchewan pursued tips.

“I know (residents) are cautious and watching, and being a little more vigilant,” said Swan River Mayor Lance Jacobson. “People are talking about extra measures like locking up things they never have before.”

He said staff make sure municipal buildings in the town, about 330 kilometres southeast of James Smith Cree Nation, have their doors locked and alarms set.

Parents are talking to their children about the situation, he noted, given the cellphone alerts and widespread news coverage.

Archie McPherson, reeve of the RM of Pipestone, is concerned about incorrect or unverified information on social media.

He saw a post claiming Myles Sanderson had been arrested Monday night, which was not the case.

“I think everybody will breathe a sigh of relief if and when the suspect is captured or located one way or the other,” said McPherson, a former RCMP officer.

Residents of Pipestone, about 70 kilometres west of Brandon, are being more vigilant, he said.

Gravel roads are busier than usual because it is harvest time for farmers.

“There’s a lot of back roads (in rural areas). I’m sure somebody would be off the main roads if they’re trying to be elusive,” said McPherson.

For residents of Gillam in northern Manitoba, the manhunt has brought back memories of the search for two teenage murder suspects from B.C. in the summer of 2019, said Mayor Dwayne Forman.

“It was a scary time for everyone, but the community got through it,” said Forman. “We’re stronger because of it because we’re more aware.”

The search ended when the bodies of Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, and Kam McLeod, 19, were found along the Nelson River, near Fox Lake Cree Nation.

The pair confessed to the slayings of three people in B.C. in videos recorded before McLeod shot Schmegelsky and then himself in a suicide pact, RCMP later said.

Amid the hunt for Sanderson, Forman urged residents of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta, where the alert has also been extended, to “stay aware and keep that face ingrained in your mind.”

“Hopefully, he’ll be found shortly,” said Forman.

Municipal police services in Manitoba are monitoring the situation and circulating information as required.

“We remain informed with the RCMP and other law enforcement agencies,” Winnipeg police spokesman Const. Jay Murray wrote in an email. “The WPS is prepared to assist if needed, but we are not actively involved in the investigation at this time.”

Brandon police Sgt. Kirby Sararas said there have been internal discussions to ensure officers have the latest information.

At the Manitoba Legislative Building, the Manitoba and Canada flags have been lowered to half-mast to honour the victims, their families and first responders, the premier’s spokeswoman said.

Saskatchewan’s flag has been raised in Memorial Park to show solidarity.

As the massacre unfolded, Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen was in Regina, along with hundreds of Manitobans, to watch the Labour Day Classic between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders.

In a tweet Sunday, Goertzen said the alert system had kept his group “well informed” of the suspects and the possibility they may be within a couple of kilometres.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching