Dr. Benjamin Mauk, who worked as a specialist in hand and wrist surgeries at Campbell Clinic Orthopedics, was killed on Tuesday in a “targeted” attack.
According to Police Chief Dale Lane, officers responded to calls of a shooting at the Collierville clinic at approximately 2 p.m. Upon arriving at the scene, they located and arrested the suspect ‘without incident’.
The suspect has since been identified as Larry Pickens, a 29-year-old man from Memphis. For the shooting, he has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault. He does not have any previous arrests or history with the police.
If convicted of the crime, he could face life in prison or the death penalty. Police said his bail has been set at $1.2 million and that he is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
While the motive for the fatal attack remains unclear, witnesses have said that the assailant had been threatening Dr. Mauk for over a week. However, authorities said they weren’t aware of any alleged threats made against him prior to the shooting.
While a spokesperson with the local police department did not immediately comment on the incident, it’s revealed that the investigation is still ongoing. According to Lane, officials will be working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) to determine where the suspect’s gun came from.
Family members of Dr. Mauck have also not yet responded to requests for comment. However, Irina Ollar, the spokeswoman for the Campbell Clinic, did confirm in a statement, that Mauk, who was an Orthopedic surgeon that specialized in hand, wrist, and elbow surgeries and had worked at the clinic since 2012, was killed in the shooting.
Following the attack, all Campbell Clinic locations were closed until further notice.
Reacting to the horrific incident, Ollar said “[they] are shocked and heartbroken” at the “tragic loss of one of [their] highly respected physicians.”
The shooting at Campbell Clinic is among several across the U.S. that have unfolded in medical facilities over the past few months.
In June 2022, a man who resented his doctor for constant pain after back surgery killed four people, including his doctor, Preston Philips, after storming into a Tulsa medical building. He then killed himself.
Another shooting happened in May after a man opened fire at a medical facility in Atlanta after he became angry during a medical appointment. He was subsequently arrested by police, however, not before killing an employee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and injuring several others.
Raumesh Akbari, a Tennessee state senator, said in a statement that Dr. Mauck’s death is another reason why the state requires stricter gun laws. Currently, Tennessee does not require individuals to get a permit before owning a handgun, both for residents and non-residents.
In addition to working at the Campbell Clinic, Dr. Mauck was also the head of the Congenital Hand Clinic at Memphis’ Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. According to his online biography, he graduated from Lambuth University and the University of Tennessee at Memphis and completed his medical residency at the Campbell Clinic.
Just last month, he was honored and featured in Memphis Magazine’s 2023 Top Doctor List, where he revealed to the publication that he wanted to become a doctor after seeing one help his sister recover from a sports injury as a child.
