Update: Vancouver Police have made an arrest in connection with a series of unprovoked assaults in Yaletown last Friday.
A 35-year-old suspect was arrested in the Downtown Eastside around 4:20 p.m. today.
The suspect is currently in custody.
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The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) is asking for the public’s help to identify a woman suspected in a series of violent, unprovoked stranger attacks that left multiple people stabbed and assaulted along the Yaletown seawall Friday morning.
The VPD has released a detailed description and images of the suspect, warning that the community remains at risk while she is at large.
“These assaults were violent and unprovoked, and as long as this suspect remains at large we fear the community is at risk,” says Sergeant Steve Addison. “It is our highest priority to quickly identify and apprehend this person.”
The incident began just after 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 10, when officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting stabbings near David Lam Park. Upon arrival, police initially located three stabbing victims, all of whom were transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Since the initial response, four additional victims have come forward. In total, the VPD is now investigating assaults on seven people: five men and two women, ranging in age from 23 to 59. The additional victims include another person who was stabbed, one who was physically assaulted, and two others who were not physically injured.
“There may be additional victims we don’t know about, or witnesses who have important information that could help solve this case,” added Sergeant Addison. “We’re asking anyone with information to call our investigators.”
The suspect is described as an Indigenous woman in her late 20s or early 30s, standing between 5’3″ and 5’7″ with a slim build and long dark hair worn in a ponytail. At the time of the attacks, she was wearing an oversized black leather jacket, tight dark pants, and possibly a leopard-print shirt or scarf.
She was last seen walking east on Marinaside Crescent, between the Cambie Street Bridge and David Lam Park. The suspect fled the area before police arrived, and initial evidence indicates the attacks were random.
In a separate statement, Constable Tania Visintin acknowledged the concern such a violent incident generates.
“We understand the concern this incident may cause for people in the area, particularly those who frequent the seawall,” said Visintin. “Public safety is our top priority and we are doing everything we can to identify and arrest the suspect as quickly as possible.”
Investigators are appealing to anyone who recognizes the woman, witnessed the incidents, or has any relevant video footage, including from dashcams or home security systems, to come forward immediately.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Vancouver Police Major Crime Section at 604-717-2541. For those who witnessed the event or have video footage, investigators can be reached at 604-717-7048.
