Vancouver, British Columbia 2023 Homicide Victim List is available here

VPD constable patrolling in the area of West Pender and Granville Street was flagged down and alerted of a stabbing at the Starbucks on March 26th at around 5:40 p.m.

Police located Paul Stanley Schmidt, 37, suffering from a stab wound and attempted lifesaving efforts, however Schmidt succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to hospital.

Inderdeep Singh Gosal, 32, was arrested at the scene, and has been charged with second-degree murder.

“We believe this homicide was witnessed by dozens of bystanders, and there may be people with information who have not yet come forward. We particularly want to hear from anyone who was present in the moments before the stabbing, or anyone who has cell-phone video of the incident,” says Sergeant Steve Addison.

A Gofundme campaign has been created to help support Paul’s wife and young daughter, who were with him at Starbucks when the fatal stabbing occurred.

Anyone with information who has not yet spoken to police is asked to contact VPD’s Major Crime Section at 604-717-2500.

Update September 3rd 2026: Inderdeep Singh was found guilty of manslaughter, he had originally pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder after stabbing Paul Schmidt at a Vancouver Starbucks in 2023.

His lawyers argued that the incident was an act of manslaughter caused by fear, panic, mental illness, and an overreaction rather than an intentional attempt to kill.Gosal, who has schizophrenia, testified that he had stopped taking his medication and believed a knife he found was a sign from God that he needed to protect himself.

According to CBC News, the Crown challenged his credibility, pointing to inconsistencies in his statements and accounts of what happened.The judge found that Schmidt had started the confrontation and initially had the advantage. However, Gosal eventually pulled out a knife and stabbed him, with the entire fight lasting about 28 seconds.

Ultimately, the judge considered Gosal’s mental illness, alcohol use, fear, and the conflicting medical evidence about his mental state. She concluded that she could not be certain Gosal intended to kill Schmidt, which was important in determining the appropriate conviction.