One man has been charged with second-degree murder after a public stabbing in downtown Vancouver this weekend.
Around 5:40 p.m. on Sunday, March 26, two men were involved in an altercation outside the Starbucks at West Pender and Granville streets when one of the men was stabbed, according to a press release from the Vancouver Police Department (VPD).
A police officer nearby was flagged down by a bystander; he was able to arrest the suspect at the scene. More officers arrived and provided first aid to the victim, but he died soon after at a hospital.
Police have charged 32-year-old Inderdeep Singh Gosal with second-degree murder in the death of Paul Stanley Schmidt, 37. The VPD says Schmidt is the city's sixth homicide victim this year.
According to court documents posted online, it appears this is the first charge Gosal has faced.
Investigators are trying to determine a motive for the stabbing.
"Investigators do not believe the victim and suspect knew each other, however, the circumstances that led up to the fatal stabbing remain under investigation," state the police.
The stabbing happened in a public area with many people around; footage and photos from the scene are circulating online.
“We believe this homicide was witnessed by dozens of bystanders, and there may be people with information who have not yet come forward,” says Sgt. Steve Addison in the press release. “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.”
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact police at 1-604-717-2500.
