Father stabbed to death outside Vancouver Starbucks after asking man to not vape near his toddler

[PhillipBlunt]

I don't know what the f**k is going on with this city, but it's becoming a really foul place to be. 

 

A confrontation on the patio of a busy downtown Starbucks that ended with the stabbing death of a Burnaby man started when the victim asked the suspect to not vape near his toddler, said the victim’s mother.

Paul Schmidt with his three-year-old daughter, Erica.© Provided by Vancouver Sun

“This is so horribly wrong what happened,” said Kathy Schmidt, two days after her son, Paul Stanley Schmidt was stabbed in broad daylight in front of his fiancée and his three-year-old daughter and many onlookers.

“He was just trying to protect his daughter,” she said. “I’m angry and I’m sad.”

 

A man has been charged with second-degree murder in the killing and Schmidt said she would like the charge upped to first-degree murder, which requires proof of premeditation, to ensure a longer stay in prison if he’s convicted.

“He had a knife,” she said. “I don’t carry a knife into a coffee shop, do you?”

A memorial has been set up in remembrance of Paul Stanley Schmidt, who was stabbed to death outside the Starbucks coffee shop at West Pender Street and Granville Street.© Provided by Vancouver Sun

Schmidt said her son’s fiancée, Ashley Umali, told her she was inside getting drinks while Paul and daughter Erica in a stroller waited outside the café at Granville and West Pender streets.

 

“It all started because he was vaping beside the baby. Ashley’s in shock, she watched the whole thing. She’s so devastated.”

“Paul was a great guy and a hard worker,” said Sean Collings, operations manager of Jiffy Move, a moving company in Burnaby where Schmidt had worked for at least five years. “He was a devoted husband and father.”

 

Collings said the death has hit the 200 to 300 people who work for moving companies in Metro hard because they all know one another. Movers were discussing Schmidt, who was 37, on a social media platform they belong to.

 

He said Schmidt worked five days a week at the physically demanding job and his was the only income supporting his family.

Paul’s website include many photos of his young family and in his intro to the page, he had written: “I love Ashley and Erica Schmidt.”

A police officer on patrol was flagged down near the café at around 5:40 p.m. on Sunday, said Vancouver Police spokesman Sgt. Steve Addison.
 

Edited March 29, 2023 by PhillipBlunt

[Bell]

The world is melting down.  Very sad for the little kid and wife watching that horrible action of a lunatic.  Hopefully the person who did the stabbing spends the rest of his days locked in a cell with a 320 lb killer who really likes men.

[Junkyard Dog]

Just now, Bell said:

The world is melting down.  Very sad for the little kid and wife watching that horrible action of a lunatic.  Hopefully the person who did the stabbing spends the rest of his days locked in a cell with a 320 lb killer who really likes men.

Or with a 300 lbs man with a small daughter who he can't see grow up.

 

I am sure after hearing what the guy did(killed a father in front of his young family) he wouldn't last too long. 

[-DLC-]

It's criminal how soft our so called Just-Us (making all the decisions) system is on criminals. Judges need to really be scrutinized...police try to do their end of things and these guys get let out to go about their "business".

 

If he's newly arrived in order to protest here, bye bye. Don't let the door hit you, don't come back.

 

It's out of hand....people should NOT be able to roam our streets executing people for a reasonable request from a father regarding his daughter. He hasn't just snuffed out one life....the kids who witnessed this will likely be traumatized and have issues through their lives. A full coffee shop of people saw this go down. 

 

There is a video...but I didn't watch it for those very reasons. Why? To have it stick in my brain and then learn this guy is on the loose down the road?

 

This country needs to get a grip, quick. The violent attacks, particularly here in Vancouver (I imagine Toronto as well) are escalating and the powers that be need to do their stinkin' jobs.

 

 

[Junkyard Dog]

I vape(trying to quit). Anytime I am at a cross-walk, outside a store door and etc I'll walk away from where foot traffic is. Especially kids. I take a step back and put myself in other shoes. I wouldn't want to breathe in unwanted vapor or have my kids do the same. 

 

It is common courtesy and common sense. Nobody wants to breathe or have their family breathe in vapor or smoke. 

 

The guy should have the book thrown at him.

[Junkyard Dog]

3 minutes ago, -DLC- said:

It's criminal how soft our so called system is on criminals. Judges need to really be scrutinized...police try to do their end of things and these guys get let out to go about their "business".

 

If he's newly arrived in order to protest here, bye bye. Don't let the door hit you, don't come back.

 

It's out of hand....people should NOT be able to roam our streets executing people for a reasonable request from a father regarding his daughter. He hasn't just snuffed out one life....the kids who witnessed this will likely be traumatized and have issues through their lives. A full coffee shop of people saw this go down. 

 

There is a video...but I didn't watch it for those very reasons. Why? To have it stick in my brain and then here this guy is on the loose down the road?

 

This country needs to get a grip, quick. The violent attacks, particularly here in Vancouver (I imagine Toronto as well) are escalating and the powers that be need to do their stinkin' jobs.

Yeah we need to be a lot tougher on certain, particularly violent crimes.

 

Otherwise nothing will change. Will just be and endless cycle until it bottles up into crap like this. 

[Wilbur]

5 minutes ago, Muttley said:

 Horrified when I saw this news last night. I know it's not the way our system works but this dude should never see the light of day again. Ever. 

I am skeptical about a 1st degree murder charge, but I wonder how one qualifies for dangerous offender status.  Hard to argue this was premediated, but not hard to argue someone is dangerous if they're popping off at being asked to not vape in front of a child.

[Canuck You]

It was probably a crack pipe. Such a stupid thing to do.

 

RIP Paul.

[DrJockitch]

Somehow I doubt the killer was in their right mind but maybe he was just that much of an a-hole. 
Sad, that poor family. The trauma to that kid and the financial hardships to come just going to put that poor child behind the 8 ball. 
 

[Ghostsof1915]

I did jury duty a few years ago. I was puzzled why they went for 2nd degree murder, when it looked by the evidence it was a slam dunk. The understanding was the bar is easier to prove than 1st degree. What puzzled me more why it went to a jury trial, when it could have been done in less time just with a judge. We found him guilty. What surprised me is the judge asked the jury to determine the length of time in Jail. You could put in a range, or you could say you want the judge to decide. I voted let the judge decide.

The jury overall selected 12 years which was near maximum sentence range we were allowed.

[myre]

1 minute ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

I did jury duty a few years ago. I was puzzled why they went for 2nd degree murder, when it looked by the evidence it was a slam dunk. The understanding was the bar is easier to prove than 1st degree. What puzzled me more why it went to a jury trial, when it could have been done in less time just with a judge. We found him guilty. What surprised me is the judge asked the jury to determine the length of time in Jail. You could put in a range, or you could say you want the judge to decide. I voted let the judge decide.

The jury overall selected 12 years which was near maximum sentence range we were allowed.

Does the defendant get the pick whether he wants a jury or a judge trial?

[Ghostsof1915]

Just now, myre said:

Does the defendant get the pick whether he wants a jury or a judge trial?

Yes. Guess the defence attorney figured we'd be more lienent.

[CBH1926]

Lot of loose cannons out there, people don’t need a big reason to harm you.

Edited March 29, 2023 by CBH1926

[Fanuck]

23 minutes ago, Junkyard Dog said:

Yeah we need to be a lot tougher on certain, particularly violent crimes.

Why just violent crimes?  What would be the harm in tightening up the consequences of pretty much any crime? 

 

[Dekey Pete]

Disgusting.  Can't think of any other words.  

 

I have much harsher things to add, but I don't think they would be received well.

[Ghostsof1915]

Well farmers keep talking about how hard it is to get people to work on the farms. How about some armed guards and make inmates work on farms?

[PhillipBlunt]

4 minutes ago, Dekey Pete said:

Disgusting.  Can't think of any other words.  

 

I have much harsher things to add, but I don't think they would be received well.

Same. I'm trying to maintain some discipline. 

[shiznak]

What’s sad is that this guy will probably be out of jail on good behaviour in 10 years.

[Sophomore Jinx]

I can't begin to even express how outraged I am when I see these things.

 

We cannot continue to condone this senseless violence.

 

Exceptional acts of such cruelty and callousness require exceptional punishment for these lowlifes who perpetrate these heinous, random crimes.

 

As a public service, I would do exceptionally bad things to that scumbag, murdering POS...and my conscience would be clear.

Edited March 29, 2023 by Sophomore Jinx

[PhillipBlunt]

2 minutes ago, shiznak said:

What’s sad is that this guy will probably be out of jail on good behaviour in 10 years.

Exactly. Canada's justice system constantly fails its citizenry by allowing human scum like the detritus that murdered an innocent man to live freely when they should rot in a cell. Frankly, I'd be all for the death sentence, but realize how useless and dangerous the government is and don't think it should be under their jurisdiction.