‘Our family is here to forgive,’ victim’s brother says during event on James Smith Cree Nation

One particularly poignant moment stood out during an emotional news conference Thursday on the James Smith Cree Nation.

Five days after a stabbing rampage left 11 people dead — 10 (including a suspect) on that First Nation and one in the nearby village of Weldon — about 100 people gathered to speak about the attack that also injured 18 people.

The most powerful moment came when Darryl Burns, whose sister Lydia Gloria Burns was among those murdered, came to the podium. He was accompanied by a young woman who was sobbing.

“I have a young lady here,” Darryl Burns said. “Her husband was one of the accused. Her husband was accused of killing my sister. Our family is here to forgive.

“This woman shouldn’t have to bear that kind of guilt and shame and responsibility.”

Burns then put his arm around the woman, identified only as Damien Sanderson’s wife. Several other community members joined him.

Burns said he knew Sanderson and the woman.

“She sat in the gym by herself. And I went and talked to her. And I told her part of forgiveness is accepting the forgiveness of our community. Our community wants to forgive her. Now it’s up to her to accept that forgiveness from us,” he said.

Local First Nations chiefs, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki and Premier Scott Moe also were in attendance as the healing process continued on the James Smith Cree Nation.

The community was rocked Sunday by the murders of nine residents — Lydia Gloria Burns, Thomas Burns, Carol Burns, Gregory Burns, Bonnie Burns, Earl Burns, Lana Head, Christian Head, and Robert Sanderson.

Weldon resident Wesley Petterson also was killed during the rampage.

Damien Sanderson was found dead on the James Smith Cree Nation on Monday. His brother Myles Sanderson — the prime suspect in the killings — died in police custody Wednesday after he was captured.

During the media conference Thursday, James Smith Cree Nation Chief Wally Burns spoke of his deep gratitude to police officers who responded from across the province, specifically thanking the RCMP.

“Working with them, all hours of the night, asking for reports, updates — without them, this guy wouldn’t have been caught. I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Wally Burns said.

Burns said he lost his best friend in the attacks, and his nephews lost their father.

After the death of Queen Elizabeth II was announced at the start of the event, Burns said he was grateful that she had taken time to write a letter to the community in the wake of the killings.

“She sent a letter … expressing the condolences to the families, to the friends, to the community,” Burns said.

The community was just getting ready to mark another sombre anniversary of the shooting deaths of a 37-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman. Another man was seriously injured but survived.

“These acts of violence have to stop; they have to stop now. We have to collect all the resources that we can to help them heal. We have to protect our community (and) fight against drugs and alcohol,” Burns said.

During the event, the call went out to the federal and provincial governments to help establish more tribal police services in Saskatchewan.

Prince Albert Grand Council Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte said Sunday’s rampage showed there are gaps.

“The criminal system again has failed the Indigenous community and people. This incident sheds light on the fractured system, where the parole board needs to be more transparent and to make some fundamental changes in consultation with First Nations people,” Hardlotte said.

Myles Sanderson was arrested south of Rosthern on Wednesday afternoon, ending a search that began early Sunday after the RCMP got the first report of a stabbing on the James Smith Cree Nation.

Sanderson went into medical distress shortly after his arrest and was pronounced dead at a Saskatoon hospital.

Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore, the commanding officer of the Saskatchewan RCMP, visited Weldon and the James Smith Cree Nation on Wednesday. She said later Wednesday that residents of those communities remain on edge.

“People were saying, ‘I haven’t slept. I can’t sleep. I can’t close my eyes. Every time I close my eyes, I hear a noise and is that him? Is he coming back?’ ” Blackmore said. “I hope that this brings them some sense of closure in that they can rest easy tonight knowing that Myles Sanderson is no longer a threat to them.”

— With files from paNOW’s Susan McNeil