A woman has suffered fairly significant injuries, and her attacker has been charged after an alleged Vancouver stranger attack on the weekend at Kits Beach.
Crown Counsel has approved a charge of assault with a weapon against Carlos Caldera Duarte.
According to information shared by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), the incident took place just before 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 28.
VPD says that it received several 911 calls from witnesses, who reported seeing a man pick up a piece of wood and strike an “apparently unsuspecting woman on the head.”
Police say that she was walking along the beach with her partner when the attacker allegedly struck her from behind. A description of the weapon paints a painful picture.
“Witnesses described the weapon as a piece of lumber or driftwood about the size and thickness of a baseball bat.”
The victim’s partner intervened, and so did several witnesses, following the Vancouver beach attack. Other witnesses followed the suspect after the attack, calling 911.
“Minutes after the incident, Vancouver Police arrested Carlos Caldera Duarte inside a dollar store near the beach. The victim, who was bleeding from the head and slipping in and out of consciousness, was taken to hospital for treatment. She is expected to recover,” VPD said.
VPD Sergeant Adam Donaldson said the stranger assault that took place in a busy public place appears to be unprovoked.
We’re grateful to the witnesses who intervened, followed the suspect, and provided critical information to police,” he added.
#VPDNews: Crown Counsel has approved a charge of assault with a weapon after a man allegedly struck a woman on the head with a large piece of wood at Kits Beach.
On June 28, just before 2:00 p.m., the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) received several 911 calls after witnesses… pic.twitter.com/LdRSqusS7M
— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) June 29, 2026