A man has been charged in connection with the shooting and death of an orthopedic surgeon at Campbell Clinic Orthopaedics in Collierville, Tenn.
Police allege that Larry Pickens, 29, of Memphis, Tenn., shot and killed Benjamin Mauck, MD, in an exam room on July 11. Officers responded to the scene after 2 p.m., and Mr. Pickens had spent several hours at the clinic on the day of the shooting, police said, according to USA Today. Mr. Pickens, who police said used a handgun, was taken into custody.
Mr. Pickens was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault, and a judge set his bond at $1.2 million, police said in a social media post.
Mr. Pickens is scheduled to be arraigned July 13.
According to the Campbell Clinic website, Dr. Mauck joined the staff in August 2012, and he specialized in elbow surgery and hand and wrist surgery. He also saw pediatric patients at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis.
In its statement shared with The Commercial Appeal on July 11, Campbell Clinic said:
"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.
"We have decided to close all Campbell Clinic locations ... July 12 and will communicate the reopening of all facilities at a later time."
Police said in the social media post: "The Collierville Police Department would like to send our condolences to the family, friends, and co-workers of Dr. Benjamin Mauck. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers."
A spokesperson for Le Bonheur Children's told Becker's: "As you can imagine, we are all pretty shocked and saddened by the news."
Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville shared the following statement with Becker's: "We are saddened by the tragic incident that occurred at Campbell Clinic in Collierville, Tenn., yesterday. While it did not directly involve any of our employees, our hearts go out to Dr. Benjamin Mauck's family, the office staff and others who were nearby. Any violence against a healthcare professional affects all of us in the medical community.
"We are concerned about the increasing violence that we're experiencing as a nation and the effect that it’s having on us all. As an employer, first responders and caregivers, we are devastated and praying for an end to the violence. We will also be reaching out to other community leaders and organizations to identify helpful solutions to this ongoing issue. As we adjust to the changing reality happening in public spaces, hospitals and clinics, we are increasing our investment in security and working to enhance the safety and security of our facilities in a number of ways, including by conducting regular security patrols, ensuring our parking lots are lighted well, using advanced technology, such as Flock Safety License Plate Reader cameras, and collaborating with police departments."