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Canadian police defend murky circumstances of stabbing rampage suspect's death: 'This is not a TV drama'

Myles Anderson, the suspect in a series of fatal stabbings in Saskatchewan, Canada, went into medical distress and died in police custody

Paul Best By Paul Best Fox News
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Myles Sanderson, one of two suspects in a deadly stabbing rampage that left 10 people dead earlier this month in Saskatchewan, Canada, was arrested by law enforcement on Sept. 7 but later died in police custody. 

Rhonda Blackmore, commander of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Saskatchewan, said Thursday that police were still unsure what caused the suspect's death and defended the approach they are taking in the investigation. 

"I have seen it written that 'somewhere in the process, police failed to uphold' our duty of care. This statement is extremely premature given we do not yet have information on what led to his death," Blackmore said in a statement on Thursday, eight days after Mylse Sanderson died. 

"I ask you all to remember this is not a TV drama where we will have all of the answers by the end of the episode. Complex investigations of this nature take time and we look forward to providing further details once they have been confirmed." 

Damien Sanderson and Myles Sanderson

This combination of images shows Damien Sanderson, left, and his brother Myles Sanderson, suspects in stabbings that left 10 people dead on the James Smith Cree Nation reserve.  (Royal Canadian Mounted Police via AP)

Myles Sanderson, 32, is accused of stabbing multiple people on the morning of Sept. 4 on the James Smith Cree Nation reserve.

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His brother, 31-year-old Damien Sanderson, who is also a suspect in the stabbings, was found dead the next day near the stabbing sites with visible injuries that police do not believe were self-inflicted. 

Two days later, police were responding to reports of a man armed with a knife driving a stolen vehicle when they located Myles on a highway. They forced his car off the road into a ditch and arrested him, but he went into medical distress and was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. 

  • Myles Sanderson Saskatchewan manhunt
    Image 1 of 5

    Police and investigators gather at the scene where stabbing suspect Myles Sanderson was tracked down in Rosthern, Saskatchewan on Wednesday, Sept. 7. (Heywood Yu/The Canadian Press via AP)

  • Canada Stabbings
    Image 2 of 5

    In this image taken from video, Canadian law enforcement personnel surrounded a residence on the James Smith Cree First Nation reservation in Saskatchewan, Canada. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted)

  • Myles Sanderson Canada manhunt
    Image 3 of 5

    An armored RCMP vehicle, right, drives past a police roadblock set up on the James Smith Cree First Nation reservation in Saskatchewan, Canada. (Heywood Yu/The Canadian Press/AP)

  • Canada stabbing scene
    Image 4 of 5

    Investigators examine the crime scene outside the home of Wes Petterson in Weldon, Saskatchewan, Monday, Sept. 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted)

  • Canada stabbings
    Image 5 of 5

    Canadian law enforcement personnel rush to surround a home on the James Smith Cree First Nation reservation in Saskatchewan, Canada. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted)

"All life-saving measures that we are capable of were taken at that time," Blackmore said that evening. "I can’t speak to the specific manner of death. That’s going to be part of the autopsy that will be conducted." 

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The Saskatoon Police Service and the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team are conducting an independent investigation into the death of Myles Sanderson, who was out on parole after being released in February while serving a four-year sentence for assault and robbery charges. 

He had a lengthy rap sheet of 59 convictions and had been wanted by police since May for violating the terms of his release. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Paul Best is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to Paul.Best@fox.com and on Twitter: @KincaidBest.