British ColumbiaBlair Donnelly was on an unescorted leave from the B.C. Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam on the day of the Chinatown stabbing attack in 2023. He had lived in the hospital since 2008, after he was found not criminally responsible in the killing of his daughter. Blair Donnelly is accused of stabbing three people at a festival in Chinatown in 2023Brieanna Charlebois · The Canadian Press · Posted: Sep 09, 2025 3:23 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours agoBlair Evan Donnelly, shown here in a court sketch at top right, appeared in Vancouver provincial court on Sept. 15, 2023, on three charges of aggravated assault. (Sheila Allan)The man accused of stabbing three people at a festival in Vancouver’s Chinatown in 2023 is testifying at his trial, telling the court how he found religion. Blair Donnelly, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of aggravated assault at the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, says he was a drug dealer, alcoholic and “partygoer” when he made a deal with God to serve him if he gave him a wife and family.Donnelly, who is now 66, says he was 22 when he got involved with religion and it changed his life.Donnelly has been carrying a Bible at his trial, now in its second day, but before he testified he affirmed he would tell the truth rather than swearing on the holy book, later citing a verse about oath swearing.He had been on unescorted leave from the B.C. Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam the day of the attack.WATCH | Blair Donnelly trial begins: Trial begins for man accused of triple stabbing at a festival in Vancouver’s ChinatownThe trial has begun for the man accused of stabbing three people at a Vancouver festival in 2023. Blair Donnelly is charged with three counts of aggravated assault after violence broke out at the Light Up Chinatown festival following the final performance of the event. CBC’s Chad Pawson reports.Blair’s lawyer Glen Orris said in opening statements on Tuesday that his client has admitted to the stabbings but his state of mind will be at issue.He told the court Donnelly had been formally diagnosed with “bipolar disorder, atypical type” and has been living at the psychiatric hospital since 2008, after he was found not criminally responsible in the killing of his daughter. Orris says Donnelly “was aware of the fact” that what he did at the festival was illegal but he believed he was “being told by God” to carry out the stabbings.The Crown presented its entire case on Monday, sharing surveillance video depicting what it said were Donnelly’s movements the day of the attack, which included buying a chisel from Home Depot, travelling to Chinatown and stabbing two women and a man at the festival.
Vancouver Chinatown stabbings suspect tells court he was ‘told by God’ to carry out attacks
