Warning: This story contains graphic descriptions of violence.
A man charged with fatally stabbing another at a Vancouver café patio testified that he discovered the knife in an alley and viewed it as a divine signal to defend himself.
Inderdeep Singh Gosal, 34, entered a not guilty plea to second-degree murder in the March 26, 2023, death of Paul Schmidt. During his B.C. Supreme Court trial, Gosal explained he had stopped taking his antipsychotic medication for three months prior, leading to an argument with his father on the day of the incident.
Discovery of the Knife and Initial Confrontation
“He was upset and concerned about me not taking medication,” Gosal said of his father. After the dispute, Gosal took public transit downtown Vancouver and paused in an alley to urinate, spotting a well-maintained knife on a dumpster ledge.
“People have been aggressive toward me, especially downtown and on TransLink, and I took it as a sign from God to protect myself,” Gosal testified. He pocketed the knife and proceeded to the Starbucks patio, where he lit a cigar possibly laced with marijuana.
Schmidt reportedly swore at Gosal from across the patio, escalating into a verbal exchange. “I was anxious that he might attack me,” Gosal stated, noting relief when Schmidt initially walked away. However, Schmidt then handed a child to a nearby woman and approached physically.
The Altercation and Self-Defense Claim
“I remember trying to push him away more than once,” Gosal described, calling the encounter a blur. He recalled seizing the knife amid the struggle. “I was afraid that I was going to die and I was trying to push him away multiple times and it wasn’t working so I ended up stabbing him,” he said. “I needed to protect myself or else I was going to die.”
CCTV footage shown in court captured the dispute turning physical as Schmidt neared Gosal. Schmidt suffered six chest stab wounds and collapsed in a pool of blood. Gosal denied any intent to kill, stating he only learned the stab count during the trial. Afterward, he entered the Starbucks to summon an ambulance and informed first responders of the stabbing.
Gosal admitted lying to police, claiming more beers at lunch and a store purchase of the knife. “I thought it would allow me to go home that night,” he explained.
Mental Health History and Defence Strategy
Gosal’s lawyer, Gloria Ng, informed the court that her client experiences psychosis and schizophrenia and was unmedicated that day. The defence aims to demonstrate through Gosal’s testimony and a psychiatrist’s input that he lacked intent to kill Schmidt, though he intended harm without grasping its lethal potential.
“The question the court has to answer is whether the Crown has established, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Mr. Gosal had the intent to kill Mr. Schmidt, reckless or not,” Ng stated. “The defence will ultimately ask this court to find Mr. Gosal guilty of manslaughter of Mr. Schmidt, but not guilty of second-degree murder.”
Gosal received a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder and depression in 2014 following hallucinations and delusions. He described perceiving death messages from TV ads on cancer and funerals, hearing crows, and seeing people in white—a color signifying death in South Asian culture—heightening fears for himself or loved ones.
Post-arrest, a new antipsychotic prescription has improved his condition. “I feel much better, the symptoms are less and I feel there has been a big improvement over three years,” Gosal said. Some symptoms linger, but “I can control myself now. I picture a stop sign that says stop and that helps.”
The judge-alone trial focuses on intent, with Crown prosecutor Karin Blok highlighting it as the core issue. Gosal awaits cross-examination.
