A tragic incident unfolded in Saskatchewan, Canada, as a man responsible for the deaths of 11 individuals and injuries to 17 others succumbed to a cocaine overdose while in police custody. The 32-year-old man, Myles Sanderson, had been evading authorities for several days before being apprehended on September 7, 2022.
During his arrest, Sanderson experienced a medical emergency and subsequently passed away in a hospital. The revelation of his cause of death was disclosed during a coroner's inquest, where a forensic pathologist highlighted the significant amount of cocaine present in Sanderson's system.
Video footage from a Royal Canadian Mounted Police dashboard camera captured the intense moments leading up to Sanderson's arrest following a high-speed pursuit. The footage showed Sanderson convulsing, prompting officers to administer naloxone in an attempt to reverse the overdose.
Prior to his capture, Sanderson had embarked on a violent spree, breaking into homes and assaulting individuals in the James Smith Cree Nation and the nearby village of Weldon. Questions arose regarding how Sanderson, a repeat offender with a history of violence, was able to roam freely.
During the arrest, Sanderson was heard asking officers about the number of casualties he had caused, expressing disbelief that he had not been met with lethal force. The inquest also revealed the timeline of events leading to Sanderson's apprehension, including a tip from a woman whose home was invaded by Sanderson.
Following the massacre, a separate inquest was conducted to examine the individual killings and issue recommendations. The ongoing inquest into Sanderson's demise aims to determine the time, place, and cause of his death, with a jury of six individuals tasked with potentially providing further recommendations.
