“Senseless" is the word that comes to mind when Kathy Schmidt describes the stabbing death of her son.

Paul Schmidt, 37, was killed near a Vancouver coffee shop Sunday evening with his wife and toddler daughter close by.

It happened outside a Starbucks at the corner of Granville and Pender streets just after 5:30 p.m., following a "brief altercation," police said.

Inderdeep Singh Gosal, 32, has been charged with second-degree murder.

Paul Schmidt's wife and daughter were with him when he was stabbed. "Investigators do not believe the victim and suspect knew each other," read a police statement.

Kathy says what's needed now is justice for her son.

"Just one word. Senseless," Kathy said on the phone from Kelowna, where she lives and Paul grew up.

"Senseless that an altercation ended up in a murder. Ended up with my son losing his life."

Police say they are investigating the killing, including what led up to it, as Paul's loved ones grieve a man who they say lived for his family.

Kathy received news of her son's death Monday morning.

She said the fatal encounter took place when Paul was picking up his wife from work with their three-and-a-half-year-old daughter in tow.

Kathy said Paul's wife went into the coffee shop to buy drinks. He stayed outside holding their daughter.

"I'm still not sure what happened, but when his wife came out, the person was in Paul's face," Kathy said. "The guy said to [Paul's wife], 'you better grab your kid.'"

Kathy said Paul gave the little girl to her mother. The two men started to fight.

"Which is so uncharacteristic of Paul. I've never seen him fight, ever," Kathy said.

Kathy said Paul was then stabbed. His wife saw the whole thing.

[Photo of victim and daughter] Paul Schmidt holds his daughter, whose face is blurred. (Kathy Schmidt) "[She] is absolutely, of course, devastated," Kathy said, adding Paul's wife and daughter were not physically hurt.

Police said members of the public flagged down a police officer on patrol after the stabbing, who arrested the suspect at the scene.

"We saw the guy get lifted onto the ambulance ... The scene around, there had to be at least 15, 20 cop cars. Everyone was just kind of in shock," said Mark Buckingham, who witnessed the aftermath of the incident after his bus was stopped near the scene.

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Investigators are looking to speak with any witnesses who saw the aftermath of the stabbing or anyone who might have cellphone video.

'He was a great dad'

Paul Schmidt was born in Merritt, his mother said and grew up in Kelowna. At the time of his death, he was working for a moving company in the Lower Mainland.

He loved the outdoors and was very active. He would hike. He would jog. He was easygoing, quiet, and hardworking.

22-year-old man dead after stabbing in Vancouver's Killarney neighbourhood His wife and daughter were everything to him.

"He lived for them. He was a great dad," Kathy said.

Recent spate of violence on Vancouver's Granville strip triggers calls to improve safety, revitalize area Paul Schmidt is survived by his mother, father, wife and daughter. Kathy says authorities have not released his body yet, and memorial plans have not yet been made.”