deadly stabbing spree that left 11 people dead and 18 others injured in a calm and disproportionately poor indigenous community of Saskatchewan has rocked the peaceful Canadian region.

Four days after the attack, the surviving suspect’s whereabouts remain unknown. The police have found the body of suspect Damien Sanderson (31) at the James Smith Cree Nation, the indigenous community where most of the victims lived. According to the police, Sanderson’s brother and accomplice, Myles Sanderson, is still at large. Police have issued a province-wide alert and have been carrying out a major manhunt since Sunday after the attack. Through a mobile phone alert, the police have advised people to take appropriate precautions, warning that the suspect is dangerous.

The suspects’ motives behind the deadly incident remain unknown as police have said nothing about those. However, both were charged with murder. The police found the body of Damien with several injuries in a heavily grassed area near a house that was being searched. Police said his injuries were not believed to be self-inflicted.

Myles Sanderson might also have sustained injuries and police have said he might seek medical assistance. Police did not say whether he was responsible for his brother’s death. Police have described Myles as having an extensive criminal record dating back a number of years.

Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, which represents all 74 First Nations of Saskatchewan, on Monday urged residents to report any information about the attacks. “Someone out there knows something”, he said in a statement, adding, “We beg you to come forward for the sake of the families.”

After talking to the leadership of James Smith Cree Nation, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “This kind of violence, or any kind of violence, has no place in our country. Tragedies like these have become all too commonplace. Saskatchewanians and Canadians will be there for each other in times of difficulty and anguish.”

The Canadian flag on the Peace Tower of the Canadian Parliament has been flown at half-mast for two days in memory of those who lost their lives in attacks.

Many of the victims were residents of the remote James Smith Cree Nation, home to about 2,000 people. Local media have identified some of the victims, although no official details have been provided by authorities.

The other locality where incidents took place is Weldon, a small neighboring town. It is a town of some 200 residents with gravel streets and single-storey homes. It has two churches, a post office and a corner store. Three days after the incident, most doors remain shut, though there is plenty of media present.

The James Smith Cree Nation has issued a plea for privacy and time to mourn, and some media have been asked to leave.

“The uncertainty continues to cause immeasurable stress and panic among our families, friends, and neighbours,” said Chief Cameron, in a statement on Monday. “They have already gone through enough. We must do everything we can to help end this tragedy without any more loss of life, he said.

Saskatchewan’s 1.2 million residents are scattered across 250,000 square miles. Clusters of tight-knit communities, separated by stretches of highways, dot the flat expanse of farmland. Most of these places are acknowledged as remote.

The term First Nation refers to Canada’s indigenous communities, which enjoy a degree of self-government in matters including health, education and taxation. These communities suffer disproportionately from poverty, crime and other problems widely seen as a legacy from historical injustices inflicted by the colonisers and the settlers. One form of these systemic injustices meted out to the indigenous people was residential schools. After repeated calls for acknowledgement of injustices towards the indigenous people, recently the Canadian government has said physical and sexual abuse were rampant at the schools and that students were beaten for speaking their native languages. It has acknowledged this as cultural genocide. As a partner of the government, the Church have been running these residential schools with an aim to “help the indigenous children assimilate”.

In July, Pope Francis arrived in Canada and apologised for the “evil” of church personnel who had worked in the schools and the “catastrophic” effect of the school system on indigenous families. In a speech, the pope apologised anew and blasted the school system as “deplorable.”

The Cree are one of Canada’s largest First Nations with over 350,000 people. Canada’s incumbent governor general, Mary Simon, is also an indigenous Canadian. She was appointed in July last year as part of Canada’s efforts to reconcile with its indigenous people after the remains of hundreds of indigenous children were found on the premises of the residential schools.

The writer is based in Canada. He studied religion, culture and global justice with a focus on North America. He can be reached by Twitter: @RanaTanver