The inquest into the 2022 mass stabbings in James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon heard emotional testimony from the first officer to arrive after the killings began. Tanner Maynard described arriving at the home on Abel McLeod Street where Carol Burns was attacked. “One of the very frustrating parts of the tragedy at James Smith is the evidence that Mr. Sanderson had facilitated a number of criminal acts prior to the mass casualty event, a number of assaults,” said coroner council Timothy Hawryluk. “We as a detachment, and even in my previous posting, the non-reporting of incidents that would involve the police is very, very common.”For the lawyer representing James Smith in the inquest, the lack of communication can go both ways. Case said he wasn’t sure how many calls for service from James Smith were for mental health or addictions concerns, but he said between Oct. 1 and the end of December 2023, there were about 200 calls from James Smith residents.
