Church Elder Killed in Shooting at Canadian Church 

A church elder was shot and killed at the Salmon Arm Church of Christ located in Salmon Arm, British Columbia Sunday morning by a man he knew, one who has mental health problems.

Media outlets also report a second person was also injured in the shooting and remains in a local hospital. His condition is unknown. 

The Global News reports Gordon Parmenter, 78, was shot and killed by a suspect armed with an assault-style rifle.

Parmenter's son Dave described what happened during the church's Sunday morning service.

"A young man just came in in the middle of the service with an assault-style rifle and targeted one man in the church, and it was my father and shot him," Dave Parmenter said.

The shooter then left but returned to the church building. Church members tackled the man and held him until authorities arrived.

"He came back a second time and was very focused on him again and shot him another couple of times and in that exchange, he shot another man in the leg who happened to be in the way," Dave Parmenter said.

"Myself and a few others wrestled the man to the ground and took the weapon away from him."

Dave Parmenter said the suspect and his father knew each other.   

He said the suspect is "very well-known to our family and was struggling with mental health issues."

Parmenter told Global News his father was a man of faith, a cabinet-maker by trade, and fostered youth.

"Many years of fostering, many years of service in his church, many years of pouring his heart out to others," he said.

"I just know that everybody is sad. It's such a sad thing to happen. There's lots of victims now and the young man is also a victim."