A friend of Penticton man Rex Gill has confirmed to NL News that Gill was a victim in yesterday’s fatal shootings in Kamloops.

Former Penticton city councillor Max Picton says he received a call yesterday that Gill had been killed after being shot in a hotel room.

Picton says Gill was was a lifelong friend and says they worked together for about a decade.

He says Gill was well-known for his tour rides for a tourism company called Coyote Cruises, and Picton says Gill hired him there for his first job when he was 13.

“He was a really good ambassador for the town, for just making sure people who were there were having the time of their lives. That was always important to him, to just make sure everyone in his presence was laughing, smiling and just having fun. That was a big part of him,” Picton tells NL News.

Gill was 41 years old and had apparently just moved to Kamloops to start a new job.

“We lost a good one. I don’t think there’s anybody that met him that wouldn’t have a smile on their face when they saw him again.”

Two men were shot in Kamloops hotel rooms within two hours of each other yesterday and both later died from their injuries.

RCMP have not linked the homicides and have no suspects at this point. An update for media is expected to be provided at 2 p.m.

(Photo: Rex Gill Facebook)