Canadian stabbing suspect apprehended

Even before he and his brother allegedly stabbed 28 people Sunday in Saskatchewan, Myles Sanderson’s criminal record contained a history of violence. He began drinking and smoking marijuana at the age of 12 (he would soon graduate to cocaine). In 2017, he barged into an ex-girlfriend’s home, punched a hole in the door of a bathroom where his two kids were hiding in the tub, and threw a cement block at a vehicle parked outside. On Wednesday afternoon, police caught up with Sanderson near the town of Rosthern, Saskatchewan. He reportedly surrendered after officers rammed his vehicle.

What role did alcohol or drugs play in these stabbings? Sanderson, 32, told parole officials that substance abuse made him out of his mind in the past. Many of his past crimes happened while he was intoxicated. But court records also show that his childhood was marked by violence and neglect.

Dig deeper: Read Kim Henderson’s report in WORLD magazine about how drug courts are seeking to address the problem of addiction.