Ontario Premier Doug Ford, as well as other municipal politicians, have offered their condolences to the families and communities impacted by a series of stabbings in Saskatchewan that left 11 people dead and more than a dozen hospitalized.
In a message posted to social media Sunday night, the premier said his “heart breaks for everyone who has lost a loved one or been injured in these horrific attacks.”
“Ontario is praying for our friends in Saskatchewan tonight.”
The string of attacks occurred on Sunday morning. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) say they first received calls around 5:40 a.m. from James Smith Cree Nation about stabbings at various locations.
The RCMP said that some of the attacks appear targeted, while others could be random. Officials say they are investigating more than a dozen separate crime scenes.
A manhunt for two suspects immediately got underway. In an update on Monday, the RCMP said one of the suspects, Damien Sanderson, had been found dead.
They continue to look for the other suspect, Sanderson's brother Myles, who they believe is injured and may seek medical attention. In total, 11 people died, and 19 others were sent to hospital for a variety of injuries.
On Sunday night, the condolences from politicians across Ontario started to pour in.
“On behalf of all Toronto residents, our condolences are with those mourning loved ones killed and praying for those injured in Saskatchewan today,” Toronto Mayor John Tory wrote in a statement on Twitter.
“Our thoughts are also with the RCMP officers searching for the suspects wanted for this horrific violence.”
Tory said the 'Toronto' sign at Nathan Phillips Square will be dimmed on Monday to honour the victims.
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie called the news “devastating.”
“Mississauga sends our condolences to all the families, friends and loved ones affected by this profound loss of life,” she said. “Thank you to the first responders who attended on scene and those who continue to search for the suspects.”
Toronto Police Chief James Ramer also took to Twitter to offer his condolences to the stabbing victims, their families and the community. He called the incident a “violent spree.”
“We send our support to the officers on the ground working to find the suspects.”
The messages of support continued on Monday, with the Toronto District School Board sending their thoughts to the people of James Smith Cree Nation and the nearby community of Weldon.
