Vancouver – Vancouver Police are releasing the photo of a suspect in a series of stranger assaults against women in the downtown core. Police are asking anyone with information to come forward.
VPD initiated an investigation on January 29, 2025, after a 44-year-old woman was assaulted by a man she didn’t know while walking near Granville and Dunsmuir Street. Over the course of several months, at least three other women reported being assaulted by a man with a similar description.
Each incident allegedly involved the suspect elbowing or shoulder-checking the victims while passing them on downtown sidewalks – in some cases knocking them to the ground.
The VPD investigation led police to a 28-year-old man, who was arrested March 5 by investigators from VPD’s Special Investigation Section, with assistance from patrol officers in the downtown core.
Dylan Brandon Gaita has now been charged with four counts of assault that allegedly occurred between January 29, 2025, and January 31, 2026.
“Unprovoked violence against strangers is an ongoing concern for everyone, and we know that sometimes these incidents are not immediately reported to police,” says Constable Megan Lui. “Although we’ve made an arrest in these cases, there may still be additional victims, witnesses, or people with information. That is why we’ve chosen to release the suspect’s photo, and ask anyone who has not yet come forward to contact police.”
