Police have identified the gunman accused of fatally shooting an orthopedic surgeon at the Campbell Clinic in Collierville on Tuesday afternoon.
Larry Pickens, 29, of Memphis ischarged with first degree murder and aggravated assaultfor shooting Dr. Benjamin Mauck in an exam room at the clinic, according to the Collierville Police Department.
No motive has been released.
Pickens is said to have been at the clinic as a patient for several hours prior to opening fire in what is believed to be a targeted event, Collierville Police Chief Dale Lane told reporters Tuesday.
Lane said Pickens fled the clinic with a handgun in his possession before police arrested him near the entrance several minutes later.
Mauck had worked at theclinic since 2012 and specialized in elbow, hand and wrist procedures.
According to a recent profile of him in Memphis Magazine, Mauck was also the head of the Congenital Hand Clinic at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.
He described himself as a "detail-oriented person" who long knew he wanted to focus on parts of the body like the hand to "help patients in a very significant way.”
“I really enjoy the complexity of hands. In orthopaedic surgery, we often say that millimeters matter, and with hands one millimeter can make a huge difference,” he told the magazine.
In a statement, the Campbell Clinic requested privacy for Mauck's family.
“We are shocked and heartbroken to confirm the incident resulted in the tragic loss of one of our highly respected and beloved physicians, Dr. Ben Mauck,” the clinic said. “We ask that you please lift his family in prayer.”
The clinic said they would continue to work with authorities through the investigation.
“Our priorities remain faith, family and patient care,” the clinic said.
