A pastor in Guyana was shot and killed by a gunman trying to rob his church.

Pastor Eion David, 41, of Prophecy One Delivery Ministry was counting the collection on Sunday evening with other church leaders following a gospel crusade when a single gunman, whose face was covered by a handkerchief and cap, entered the church.

The Guyanese Police Criminal Investigation Department have said that Pastor Eion David was shot twice, in the head and in the chest, and have recovered two bullets. The pastor died in Georgetown Public Hospital on the Monday morning after he was shot, reports Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service.

The daughter of Pastor Eion David, Shaundell Williams, said that when the gunman entered the church and told everyone to get down on the floor she thought it was a church member pulling a prank, reports SVM News Service.

She said, "I never in my wildest dreams thought someone would come into a church and carry out a robbery. It was not until he ordered everyone on the floor the second time that I knew it was serious; and he pulled out a gun."

"The robber made good his escape with an undisclosed sum of cash, a small amount of jewellery and a car key belonging to my husband Alwin Williams, who was also injured during the ordeal."

The police have taken statements from church members who said that they could think of no motive for killing the pastor, who had no enemies, reports SVM News Service.