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 dumpster 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 about three months prior, leading to an argument with his father on the day of the incident.
“He was upset and concerned about me not taking medication,” Gosal stated regarding his father.
Path to the Confrontation
After the dispute, Gosal took public transit downtown 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 transit, and I took it as a sign from God to protect myself,” he told the court.
Gosal pocketed the knife and proceeded to the Starbucks patio, where he lit a cigar possibly laced with marijuana. He recounted Schmidt cursing at him from across the patio, escalating into a verbal exchange. “I was anxious that he might attack me,” Gosal said, noting relief when Schmidt initially departed.
However, Schmidt handed a child to a nearby woman and approached, sparking a physical struggle. “I remember trying to push him away more than once,” Gosal described, calling the event a haze. Court footage captured the altercation turning violent as Schmidt closed in.
The Stabbing and Aftermath
Gosal grabbed the knife amid the fight. “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 explained. “I needed to protect myself or else I was going to die.” Schmidt suffered six chest wounds and collapsed in a pool of blood.
Gosal denied any intent to kill, stating he only learned the stab count during the trial. He entered the café to summon an ambulance and confessed to first responders upon their arrival. Later, he misled 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 admitted.
Mental Health Defence
Gosal’s lawyer, Gloria Ng, informed the court her client battles psychosis and schizophrenia and was unmedicated that day. The defence aims to demonstrate Gosal lacked intent to kill, though he intended 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 argued. “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 shared his 2014 diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder and depression followed hallucinations and delusions, including TV “messages” about death from ads and cultural signs like crows or white clothing signaling peril.
Post-arrest, new medication stabilized him. “I feel much better, the symptoms are less and I feel there has been a big improvement over three years,” he said. Though some symptoms linger, “I can control myself now. I picture a stop sign that says stop and that helps.”
The judge-only trial focuses on intent, with cross-examination pending.
