Inquest into death of Myles Sanderson to begin Monday in Saskatoon

The inquest into the death of 32-year-old Myles Sanderson, who killed 11 people and injured another 17 people on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the nearby village of Weldon, is scheduled to begin Monday in Saskatoon and run until March 1.

The inquest into the mass killings began in Melfort on Jan. 15 and concluded on Jan. 31 at the Kerry Vickar Centre with the jury and presiding coroner making 29 recommendations.

Saskatoon lawyer Robert Kennedy, the chief coroner in the inquest into the death of Regina’s Samwel Uko in 2022, will also preside over the inquest into Sanderson’s death.

A massive manhunt took place in Saskatchewan from Sept. 4, 2022 — when the murders occurred — until Sanderson was caught near Rosthern three days later along Highway 11.

At the first inquest, it was revealed that Sanderson had been camping out in the bushes and staying in a variety of locations near Wakaw.

Myles Sanderson. (submitted photo/RCMP)

According to information presented during that inquest, Sanderson was observed by RCMP driving a stolen vehicle north of Saskatoon on the afternoon of Sept. 7. He refused to stop, and officers ran him off the road and into a ditch.

A picture taken a short time later and posted to social media showed Sanderson surrounded by four RCMP officers with his hands behind his back facing an RCMP SUV, while one officer appears to search one of his pant pockets.

A statement from the province laid out some of the details that will be covered during the inquest.

“Sanderson exited the vehicle and while being arrested, suddenly collapsed. EMS responded, started performing lifesaving measures and transported him to the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon,” the statement read.

Sanderson was pronounced dead at the hospital that evening.

Since that day, neither the RCMP nor the province has offered any explanation of how exactly Sanderson died, or why.

According to Section 20 of The Coroners Act: “The Chief Coroner shall hold an inquest into the death of a person who dies while an inmate at a jail or a correctional facility, unless the coroner is satisfied that the person’s death was due entirely to natural causes and was not preventable.”

The Saskatoon Police Service has confirmed it will be taking part in the inquest as well, but declined to comment any further.

The inquest is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at the Saskatoon Inn.