The family of one of the victims of the shooting at the Salmon Arm Church of Christ has confirmed his identity.
Gordon Parmenter of Salmon Arm was killed in what his son David believes was a targeted attack. Another member of the church’s congregation was also shot in the leg and taken away by Medevac helicopter.
Police spokesperson Cpl. Chris Manseau said there is no active or ongoing threat to the public.
According to David, the man the police have in custody is well known to the Parmenter family.
“Why he was focused on dad, I have no clue,” he said. “He was someone who we wouldn’t have expected to do something likethis given all of the previous interactions with him.”
David said he was worshipping at another church across town when he received a text message from his mother saying that his father had been shot. He quickly drove to the Church of Christ and had only been on the scene for a few minutes when the gunman returned and began shooting again, which is when the man who was shot in the leg was hit.
David said he was one of a group who wrestled the shooter to the ground and took his weapon away from him.
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David doesn’t believe the attack was religiously motivated. He said the church service was simply somewhere that the shooter knew his father would be. His father is an elder of the church.
“We’re just very sad about all of this. It’s just pretty senseless. We’re just very sad, not so much angry because I know that the young guy, he’s got some real struggles. We’re just really sad.”
The family was also the victim of a fire which ripped through Gordon’s house on March 14. At the time, police said the fire was suspicious and likely the result of arson. The tires of both vehicles at the burned residence were slashed before or during the blaze.
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