After a deadly shooting in an Okanagan city, a suspect has been charged with murder.

According to Global News, 68-year-old John Brittain of Penticton (who had initially been identified as 60-years-old in news reports), has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder after a shooting took place on April 15 in Penticton.

CBC News reported that Brittain is a retired engineer who worked for the City of Penticton from 2011 to 2016. He is listed as a member of the Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia as a practising civil engineer with the Encora Engineering Resource Group.  

Two men and two women, who were reported to be in their 60s and 70s, were shot and killed in three locations within a five-kilometre radius in Downtown Penticton on April 15 from around 10:30 a.m. onward.

All individuals were known to each other and investigators believe the shootings were targeted. The relationships between all individuals involved and the identities of the victims have not been revealed. 

The suspect turned himself in to Penticton RCMP around 11:30 a.m.

A motive for the shootings remains to be determined.

After B.C. RCMP issued a warning for residents to remain indoors and to avoid the downtown area on April 15 in response to the shootings, the City of Penticton activated its Emergency Operation Centre.

On April 15, B.C. Premier John Horgan issued a statement on Twitter about the shootings.

https://twitter.com/jjhorgan/status/1117890986187694080

Today (April 16), Penticton Mayor John Vassilaki released a statement in response to the tragic events, offering sympathy for all residents as well as thanks to first responders.

“Yesterday marked an unfortunate chapter in our community’s history but it also demonstrated our commitment to each other through acts of assistance and compassion in the aftermath of tragedy,” he stated.

Also today, Penticton RCMP asked media to respect requests for privacy from families of the victims.

"They have been troubled and stressed by media presence on their lawns and at their doors," a Penticton RCMP news release stated.

The shootings in Penticton followed one day after a separate shooting that took place in Salmon Arm, in which one man was injured and another man killed.