The second suspect connected to a mass stabbing spree died shortly after being taken into police custody, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have confirmed.
In a press conference, the RCMP said that Myles Sanderson went into what was described as "medical distress" shortly after being detained earlier Wednesday afternoon. He was taken to a hospital in Saskatoon and pronounced dead, Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore told reporters. She said she could not provide further detail about his death, except to say that "all life-saving measures were taken."
There will be an investigation launched into the circumstances surrounding his death, Blackmore said, and an autopsy will be conducted later this week.
Along with his brother Damien, Myles Sanderson was a suspect in a series of stabbings that killed 10 people in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. His death comes two days after Damien Sanderson was found dead with wounds that did not appear to be self-inflicted, according to authorities.
Myles Sanderson was arrested after police received reports that a man matching his description had stolen a vehicle, Blackmore said, which culminated in a car chase. Police "directed" his vehicle into a ditch, she said.
The stabbings took place Sunday morning in 13 locations across the James Smith Cree Nation and the nearby village of Weldon. A motive has not yet been determined; police said they believe some of the victims were attacked at random, while others were singled out.
Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore said that, before Sanderson's arrest, she had visited James Smith Cree Nation, where many told her they were still frightened by the prospect he might attack again.
"I hope that this brings them some closure in that they can rest easy tonight knowing that Myles Sanderson is no longer a threat to them," Blackmore said.
Before their deaths, the two Sanderson brothers had been charged with a total of four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder and two counts of breaking and entering a residence.
