A Mississippi deacon suffered fatal injuries in a shooting that broke out Saturday during an Easter egg hunt hosted by his church,  according to the church and local police.Empowerment Ministries Christian Center, which describes itself as a non-denominational ministry located in the southern Mississippi city of Gulfport, identified the deacon as Eddie Shed, who also served as its head of security. The church said the shooting was not carried out by anyone affiliated with its ministry, and Shed was killed while attempting to intervene.

Gunfire erupted at around 2:05 p.m. local time during the Easter egg hunt, held in Gulfport’s Jack and Florence Goldin Park, according to the Gulfport Police Department. In a news release, the department said a child custody dispute prompted the shooting, and the suspect “reportedly brandished a firearm and opened fire, striking two individuals who were attempting to deescalate (sic) the argument.” Witnesses told CBS News affiliate WLOX that Shed had stepped in to protect children in the vicinity once the shooting started. He was pronounced dead at the scene.