Officer slashed with ‘edged weapon’ in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, police say

A police officer was injured Tuesday evening in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, in what authorities have described as a “completely unexpected” attack.

The Vancouver Police Department said the incident unfolded near Hastings and Main streets around 7 p.m., as two officers were patrolling the area as part of Task Force Barrage, a campaign to ramp up the law enforcement presence in the neighbourhood.

Const. Tania Visintin said a suspect approached the officers from behind and slashed one of them on the leg with “some sort of edged weapon.”

“This was completely unexpected,” Visintin told reporters Wednesday. “It happened suddenly and randomly.”

Police managed to track down a suspect “minutes later” near East Cordova and Main streets, Visintin said.

Solaris Onatta Running Dey, 29, has since been charged with aggravated assault of a police officer and assaulting a police officer with a weapon.

Previous manslaughter conviction

Court records show a man by that name was convicted of manslaughter for the 2018 killing of 19-year-old Aspen Pallot. Authorities said the two had been in a relationship prior to her death.

In 2021, Dey was sentenced to six years in prison – which came down to two with credit for time served – plus three years' probation.

The judge noted Dey had been “involuntarily hospitalized” under the Mental Health Act not long before the killing, but was released after anti-psychotic medications improved his condition to the point he could no longer be held against his will.

Prior to Pallot’s death, he had no criminal record.

Dey has since been convicted of several other crimes, including assaulting a police officer in November 2024.

Visintin would not comment on the suspect’s criminal record Wednesday, except to confirm he had a “violent history.”

The officer injured Tuesday evening received emergency first aid at the scene before being taken to hospital. He has since been released and is recovering at home, but will need “some time” before he can return to work, Visintin said.

Premier responds to attack

Asked about the incident at an unrelated news conference Wednesday, B.C. Premier David Eby offered some words of sympathy.

“My thoughts go out to this police officer and the police officer’s family,” he said.

Eby noted the province is continuing to work toward expanding the use of involuntary care for offenders with concurrent mental health and addictions challenges, under the advisement of chief scientific officer Dr. Daniel Vigo.

“The work to identify these individuals who are a threat to themselves, to other people proactively before there’s an incident is a key part of his work,” he said.

Vigo is currently working to clarify some key legal questions around committing individuals to such care, wading through “folklore” and “half-understood interpretation of the law,” Eby added.