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A Calgary man has been charged with sexually assaulting two women who were raped in the Beltline at night, one as she slept outside.
Following a three-year investigation, Calgary Police Service (CPS) announced Tuesday that Gramey Weldeselsa, 37, was arrested earlier this month and now faces two charges of sexual assault.
Weldeselsa is accused of attacking the women in July 2023 and December 2024.
Police believe there may be more victims and are asking anyone with further information to come forward.
Beltline incidents
In a statement released Tuesday, CPS said its investigation led to charges after police were able to match Weldeselsa’s DNA to evidence collected from the two alleged victims at the hospital after their attacks.
The first incident took place on July 23, 2023, between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m.
A woman who was walking on Fourth Street around 12th Avenue S.W. was approached by a man who wanted to pay her for sex, police say.
After she said no, police say the woman was raped.
She attended the nearby Sheldon Chumir urgent care centre, and police were called. Evidence was collected from the woman’s body and stored.
17th Avenue attack
About a year-and-a-half later, another woman was sleeping on 17th Avenue around 12th Street around 3 a.m. when she was approached by a man offering money for sex.
Police say she also refused, then the man raped her.
The woman called 911 and was taken to hospital, where evidence was again collected.
This time, when police reviewed CCTV footage from the area of the crime, officers were able to identify a suspect.
Suspect identified
A warrant was signed by a judge allowing police to obtain a sample of the suspect’s DNA.
On April 14, 2026, police say the DNA came back as a match to the samples gathered from the two sexual assault investigations.
Weldeselsa was arrested the next day.
He is not in custody and will appear in court later this month.