‘Did I need to die?’: victim of alleged stranger assault horrified after suspect released
Posted July 2, 2026 1:22 pm.
Sila Tekin was walking on Kits Beach with her partner, barefoot, ice cream in hand, when out of nowhere.
“Suddenly, we hear this yelling from behind us, and I turn around, and this maniac had a bat-sized log, just basically slamming it down on her skull, right here,” said Misha Kleider, a witness to the incident.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!Police say the attack, which happened just before 2 p.m. on Sunday, appeared to be unprovoked – and neither Tekin nor her partner knew the alleged perpetrator.
“That blow, if it was a little bit to my face I could have been disfigured, if it was to the temple I’m told I could have lost my eyesight or my hearing or my speech, I could have been paralyzed,” said Tekin.
Tekin says she doesn’t remember the incident on account of the serious concussion she suffered – but that it could have been even worse – since her partner intervened to prevent the man from landing a second blow.
“That’s the only reason this is an assault, and not manslaughter.” FLASH “That second blow, I am almost certain, would have killed me,” said Tekin.
Carlos Duarte, a man in his early 50s, was arrested soon after.
He’s been charged with assault with a weapon but less than two days after the violent incident, he was released on bail, leaving his victim terrified of what might lurk behind her.
“The police [were] as disappointed as we were that he was let out that quickly.”
Cst. Darren Wong speaks for the VPD – he says the alleged assailant was known to police, although criminal charges had never been laid – which makes his release by the court all the more galling.
“A lot of legwork went in by the police officers to demonstrate and articulate the reasons why this man needs to be held in custody, just for public safety, and the fact that he wasn’t held, I mean, that’s not our decision, and there’s only so much we can do,” said Wong.
“I just wish that we had a legal system that could protect the public from people who are just maniacs, and we don’t have that,” said Kleider.
In conjunction with the concussion, Tekin says the situation has left her head spinning. Wondering what it would take to keep the alleged violent offender behind bars.
“Did I need to die for him to be kept away from [the] public?”
