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 last month 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 his antipsychotic medication three months prior, resulting in a confrontation with his father that day.
“He was upset and concerned about me not taking medication,” Gosal said of his father.
Path to the Confrontation
Gosal took public transit downtown after the argument and paused in an alley to urinate, spotting the knife in good condition on a dumpster ledge. “People have been aggressive toward me, especially downtown and on transit, and I took it as a sign from God to protect myself,” he told the court.
He pocketed the knife and headed to the Starbucks patio, where he smoked a cigar possibly laced with marijuana. Gosal recounted that Schmidt cursed at him from across the patio, escalating into a verbal exchange. “I was anxious that he might attack me,” Gosal stated, noting relief when Schmidt initially departed.
However, Schmidt handed off a child to a nearby woman and approached physically. “I remember trying to push him away more than once,” Gosal described, calling the encounter a blur. He admitted grabbing 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,” Gosal said. “I needed to protect myself or else I was going to die.”
CCTV footage shown in court captured the dispute turning violent as Schmidt neared Gosal. Schmidt sustained 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. After Schmidt fell, Gosal entered the Starbucks to summon an ambulance and informed first responders of the stabbing. He later admitted lying to police about drinking more beer at lunch and buying the knife in a store. “I thought it would allow me to go home that night,” he explained.
Mental Health Factors
Gosal’s lawyer, Gloria Ng, informed the court earlier that her client battles psychosis and schizophrenia and was unmedicated at the time. The defense plans to demonstrate via Gosal’s testimony and a psychiatrist’s input that he lacked intent to kill Schmidt, though he aimed to inflict harm without grasping its lethal potential.
“The question the court has to answer is whether prosecutors have established, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Mr. Gosal had the intent to kill Mr. Schmidt, reckless or not,” Ng stated. “The defense will ultimately ask this court to find Mr. Gosal guilty of manslaughter of Mr. Schmidt, but not guilty of second-degree murder.”
Gosal shared his 2014 diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder and depression, triggered by hallucinations and delusions. He perceived “messages” from television ads about cancer and funerals, heard crows, and noted people in white—a color symbolizing death in South Asian culture—fearing threats to 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.”
Trial Focus
Gosal awaits cross-examination. Prosecutor Karin Blok highlighted on the trial’s opening day—held before a judge alone—that intent remains the core issue: whether evidence proves beyond doubt that Gosal meant to cause life-threatening harm.
