Grande Prairie RCMP have arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with two random pipe attacks that happened on the Muskoseepi Park trails in early May. Darius Dafoe of Grande Prairie was taken into custody on June 10, 2026, and appeared in Alberta Court of Justice on June 17 facing charges that include aggravated assault, assault causing bodily harm, robbery, and two counts of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
The first attack happened on May 4 around 7:30 p.m., when a person on the trails between 68th Avenue and 84th Avenue was struck in the back of the head by a man riding a bicycle and carrying a pipe. Two days later, a second victim was attacked in the same area between 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The victims did not know each other, and nothing was stolen. RCMP have called the attacks random.
According to the RCMP, the investigation brought together several units, including the Grande Prairie General Investigations Section, Grande Prairie RCMP General Duty members, the Grande Prairie Police Service, Alberta RCMP Police Dog Services, and an RCMP forensic sketch artist. Community tips, witness statements, and video surveillance from the area played a big role in identifying and arresting Dafoe.
After the attacks, RCMP stepped up patrols on the trail system and added it to their regular routes. Police say no other similar incidents have been reported since those two days in May. The popular trails run for more than 10 kilometres through the heart of the city and draw between 300,000 and 500,000 visitors a year.
Dafoe was brought before a justice of the peace and remanded into custody. His next court date has not been publicly announced.
