Man charged after four alleged stranger assaults on women in downtown Vancouver

A 28-year-old man has been charged in connection with a series of alleged stranger assaults targeting women in downtown Vancouver over a one-year period, according to the Vancouver Police Department.

Police say the investigation began Jan. 29, 2025, after a 44-year-old woman reported she was assaulted by a man she did not know while walking near the intersection of Granville and Dunsmuir streets. According to police, three additional women later reported similar incidents in the downtown core.

Investigators allege the suspect elbowed or shoulder-checked women while passing them on sidewalks, in some cases knocking the victims to the ground.

Vancouver police say Dylan Brandon Gaita was arrested March 5 by investigators with the department’s Special Investigation Section, with assistance from patrol officers working in the downtown core. He has since been charged with four counts of assault related to incidents that allegedly occurred between Jan. 29, 2025, and Jan. 31, 2026. The charges have not been proven in court.

“Unprovoked violence against strangers is an ongoing concern for everyone, and we know that sometimes these incidents are not immediately reported to police,” Const. Megan Lui said in a police statement. She said investigators are releasing the suspect’s photo in an effort to identify additional victims or witnesses.

Police say the investigation remains active and are asking anyone with information, or anyone who may have experienced a similar incident and has not yet reported it, to contact the Vancouver Police Department.