Vancouver police charge man in four alleged assaults against women downtown

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published March 11, 2026

Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتساب

Vancouver police have charged a 28-year-old man in connection with four separate alleged assaults involving women he did not know in the city’s downtown core, in a case that highlights ongoing public-safety concerns over random street attacks, particularly against women.

Police said the investigation began on January 29, 2025, after a 44-year-old woman was assaulted by an unknown man while walking near Granville and Dunsmuir. As the case progressed, three other women reported similar incidents over the following months, leading investigators to examine the matter as an apparent pattern of assaults in public space.

According to police, the suspect allegedly elbowed or shoulder-checked the victims while passing them on downtown sidewalks, knocking some of them to the ground. Vancouver police said officers from the Special Investigation Section arrested the suspect on March 5 with assistance from patrol officers in the downtown core.

Police identified the accused as Dylan Brandon Gaita, who now faces four assault charges linked to incidents alleged to have taken place between January 29, 2025, and January 31, 2026. Authorities also released the suspect’s photo and asked any additional victims, witnesses, or people with information to come forward, noting that some random stranger assaults are not reported immediately.

The case is drawing attention because it is not being treated as a single isolated incident, but as a series of alleged assaults involving women in one of Vancouver’s busiest urban areas. That gives the story both a public-safety and service angle, particularly for readers concerned about personal safety while walking downtown. At this stage, the allegations remain before the courts and no conviction has been announced.