One mother and daughter had a weird experience on Sunday morning:
Wikipedia article on it:
Thanks, folks. I’m pretty far removed from the area where it happened, but for the report that they were seen on a major artery street that I drive regularly. Nothing further on that report. Manhunt still underway.
No ideas yet on a possible motive? What a terrible attack. They sure did a lot of damage.
Please do stay safe.
Just got a new province-wide alert on my cellphone:
Individual reported to be armed with a knife is travelling in a 2008 White Chevrolet Avalanche, Sask licence 953 LPL that was reported stolen out of Wakaw around 2:10 pm today. Last seen travelling in Wakaw on Cemetery Road. Their direction of travel is unknown. Unknown persons involved. We believe this may be related to the Melfort dangerous person alert issued Sunday September 4.
Melfort is the RCMP detachment which issued the first alert about the James Smith / Weldon stabbings.
Wakaw is not that far from the James Smith / Weldon; I’m thinking that the report of him being seen in Regina on Sunday was a false sighting. Would be odd for him to come this far south, and then go back north afterwards.
My grandfather had a close friend from this reserve, and it seems pretty clear from the names of the victims that this is that friend’s family. My grandfather died ten years ago, and his friend 30 years ago, so there’s no connection, but it’s still haunting.
Saskatchewan: one real big small town.
That woman appears to have dodged a not-a bullet.
I just heard on NBC News that the other suspect is in custody.
Such good news. I’m glad this is over for our Saskatchewan neighbors to the north. What a horrible ordeal.
Yes, this is good news.
rumours circulating that he is dead:
I’m glad he’s no longer a threat, at least.
He’s definitely dead. Some unconfirmed sources are saying it was self-inflicted. Assistant Commissioner for the RCMP refused to comment, pending autopsy, saying only that they gave him immediate first aid treatment on the scene, like CPR, and he was taken by ambulance to hospital in Saskatoon, where he was pronounced dead.
Was up in Prince Albert for work today and on the way home drove right past the final scene on Highway 11, about halfway between Rosthern and Hague. Was dark, so nothing to see other than a lot of blue and red flashing lights as we got detoured around the scene on gravel sideroads. That can absolutely be my closest ever connection to a mass murder, thank you very much.
Not that I’m doubting it, but it’s curious how someone just placed into custody (almost certainly handcuffed) could manage to off himself. I wonder if he inflicted injuries on himself prior to being captured, or if it was somehow related to the circumstances of his apprehension, which AIUI included forcing his vehicle off the road into a ditch at high speed.
So the story continues to be interesting, but thankfully the scary part is over. The RCMP seems to have done a good job.
The arrest …
Doesn’t help answer the question about cause of death, but it’s nice to see the capture of a dangerous psychopath.
I just assumed it meant he shot (or probably stabbed) himself before he was arrested. Bad enough to be fatal, but not so bad that he couldn’t be arrested/cuffed. The above article mentions this was a fairly high speed chase and I thought it said the airbags went off, but I’m not seeing that now. In any case, I’m wondering if he hit something when they ‘directed’ him into the ditch and by “self inflicted injuries” they mean hitting a tree or something.
My guess is the former, that he stabbed/shot himself before being arrested.
Take care, NoPi, and all the good people of Saskatchewan !
Definitely heard a CBC reporter say last night that the airbags in the Avalanche were deployed, and a few video clips I’ve seen you can make out what looks like airbags as well.
Based on the photos in the news and where I got detoured last night, I’d say it happened somewhere right around here:
Just some smallish willow or poplar bushes between the highway and the tracks. Not sure what he would have hit hard enough to trigger airbags, but it was apparently pretty high speed so it needn’t take much.