Naked man arrested after grabbing seven-year-old girl in Portland, Oregon

A naked man grabbed a seven-year-old tourist by the arm in Portland, sparking a struggle with her parents and bystanders. Daniel C. Vasey, 31, was arrested after wading into the Willamette River.

Naked suspect grabbed child from mother's arms on Portland waterfront

A naked man grabbed a seven-year-old girl by the arm along the waterfront in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday evening, prompting her parents and bystanders to physically intervene before he released her, The Sun reports.

Emergency dispatchers with the Bureau of Emergency Communication (BOEC) received the first call at 6:51 p.m. on 11 July 2026, reporting a man running naked in the 1000 block of Southwest Naito Parkway. Four minutes later, a second caller reported that the man had attempted to punch them in the head. All Central Precinct officers were occupied with other incidents, including a disturbance involving a firearm, and could not respond.

At 7:03 p.m., a third caller reported that the suspect had grabbed a young girl and pulled her away from her mother. Dispatchers redirected officers from North Precinct to the scene.

On arrival, officers located the suspect wading in the Willamette River and took him into custody. The girl was assessed by paramedics and treated for scratches; she was not taken to hospital.

Investigators established that Daniel C. Vasey, 31, had seized the child by the arm. Her mother grabbed the girl's other arm and resisted, and the struggle was severe enough that the child was lifted off the ground. The girl's father, mother, and several bystanders responded by punching, slapping, and pulling at Vasey until he let go. One bystander deployed an irritant spray to keep him away from others.

The girl and her family told officers they were tourists visiting Portland from out of state.

Vasey was booked into Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Attempted Kidnapping in the First Degree, Attempted Kidnapping in the Second Degree, Custodial Interference in the First Degree, Assault in the Third Degree, and Harassment. The case number is 26-201501. Anyone with information who has not yet spoken to police is asked to submit a tip online.

Source: The Sun