Family of Penticton shooting victims emotional during accused killer's court appearance

Family and friends of four people shot to death last month in Penticton, B.C. sat in the front row of a provincial courtroom gallery as John Brittain, 68, the man accused inthe April 15 killings, made a brief appearance by video link.

Brittain was wearing an orange prison shirt and pants as he sat sat quietly during the hearing.

He only spoke to acknowledge his lawyer telling him he would visit Brittain at the South Okanagan Correctional Centre where he is being held in custody.

Brittain, a retired city engineer, is facing three counts of first degree murder and one count of second degree murder after a shooting spree left four people dead on the morning of April 15.

The victims, Barry and Susan Wonch, Rudi Winter and Darlene Knippelberg, all lived on the same block on Cornwall Drive as does Katherine Brittain, John Brittain's estranged wife.

The RCMP have not indicated a motive in the shooting deaths, but have said that Brittain knew all of his alleged victims.

Friends and family of the victims stared back at Brittain during the brief court appearance with at least one of them visibly crying.

One family member, a man who identified himself as the brother of Susan Wonch, said, as he left the courthouse, he wished Canada would re-enact the death penalty in cases of premeditated murder.

Brittain has not entered a plea and his next court date is May 29.