A veteran, a widower, and a mother of two are the first three victims to be identified in a series of deadly Saskatchewan stabbing attacks..On Saturday, in what may be the biggest mass killings in Saskatchewan history, two men went on a stabbing rampage. Police say 10 people were stabbed to death and another 18 wounded..Wes Petterson.A 77-year-old widower from Weldon, Wes Petterson, is one victim of the mass stabbing attacks..People have been placing flowers near Petterson’s home since the tragedy took place on Sunday..Ruby Works, a Weldon resident, said Petterson was like an uncle and she knew him since she was a young girl. .“If someone needed a hand, he helped. He was a kind-hearted man,” Works told CBC News..Works went into shock when she heard Petterson was murdered..“I couldn’t even breathe. I couldn’t even catch my breath,” said Works..Petterson was a “kind-hearted man” who made homemade Saskatoon berry jam, loved his cats, and was an usher at a local church..“He didn’t deserve this… Both communities are destroyed. All lives are shattered,” said Works..Earl Burns.Earl Burns was killed while trying to protect his family during the stabbing attacks Sunday on the James Smith Cree Nation (JSCN)..His sister, Deborah McLean, told Prince Albert Now that he fought until he was dead..“I’m in shock. I’m in shock right now. I lost my brother Earl Burns,” said McLean..“And his wife is in ICU at this time, so we are here in Prince Albert taking care of the children and the families and supporting her and hoping she pulls through.”.McLean said her brother was killed while protecting his dearly beloved wife and grandchildren from attackers during the stabbings which occurred on the JSCN. .Burns was a veteran of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and drove a local school bus..“My brother Earl Burns was a true hero. He fought till his death to protect his family. He was enjoying his role as an elder, husband, father to three, Moosom (grandfather) , and Chapan (great-grandfather) to many,” said McLean..“He is also a son to his 92-year-old dad Mervin Burns, his mother deceased in 2007, he has many uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. He has four sisters, and four brothers. Earl drove a bus for many years. He was a proud veteran for the Canadian army and attended almost every powwow in the Indian territories. He was loyal, a good provider, and a very proud Moosom.”.McLean asked the media to allow the community time to heal from the mass stabbing attack tragedy..“At this time, we ask the media to give our community time to deal with the shock and trauma of the life-changing and devastating tragedies, which is affecting everyone in our community,” said McLean..McLean said many of the families migrated to the cities right now in the wake of the tragedy..“We have a lot of families in the cities right now. You know, right now support is coming in pretty strong, but eventually it will diminish,” said McLean..“We’ve been through emergency situations before, with flooding and fires and help is only temporary. Eventually, down the road people want more support and some families have bigger needs than others. So, I’m thinking of the future and making sure the donations go to the band office for the emergency.”.Anyone interested in donating can contact McLean through her email at divymclean@gmail.com..Lana Head.Police identified Lana Head, a mother of two, as one of the murdered in the mass stabbing attacks..Head died from wounds on JSCN on Sunday. .She died alongside her partner, who has not been identified..A friend paid tribute to Head on Facebook..“I love you and say prayers for your children, grandchildren, and your family. I am going to miss your sweet hellos and messages. I will forever cherish your sweet demeanour and caring ways,” the friend wrote..Hours before the stabbings occurred, Head wrote on Facebook that she had “so many good memories to cherish.”.Messages of condolences and people in complete shock took to Facebook to express their thoughts..“Not the way I wanted her to leave this world,” said her friend Melodie Whitecap in a post..Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron suggested the stabbings were drug-related..“This is the destruction we face when harmful illegal drugs invade our communities, and we demand all authorities to take direction from the chiefs and councils and their membership to create safer and healthier communities for our people,” said Cameron..Head’s former partner also spoke and told the media the stabbings might have been related to drugs and alcohol..For her former partner, it’s hard to make sense of exactly why these tragic attacks occurred on JSCN. .“It’s sick how jail time, drugs, and alcohol can destroy many lives,” Michael Brett Burns, Head’s former partner, told the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network..Some of the stabbings were targeted individuals and others were just random violence..As we learn more about other victims, the Western Standard will share their stories.
