A patient at a clinic in Collierville, Tennessee, shot and killed an orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday, July 11, according to Collierville Police Chief Dale Lane.
The suspect, identified as Larry Pickens, 29, of Memphis, was apprehended within five minutes of the incident at Campbell Clinic. He is now facing charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault, with a bond set at $1.2 million. According to his aunt, Pickens has a history of mental illness and was institutionalized 10 times, most recently for one night last week. He attacked his stepfather with a butcher knife in 2016 and left him with two punctured lungs. In an ironic twist, Dr. Mauck nursed the stepfather back to health.
The surgeon, Dr. Benjamin Mauck, was confirmed deceased by the clinic. Mauck specialized in elbow, hand and wrist surgeries, having joined the clinic in August 2012. He was an alumnus of Lambuth University and the University of Tennessee-Memphis, completing his residency at UT-Campbell Clinic.
Pickens had spent several hours at the clinic as a patient on the day of the incident, which took place in an exam room. Authorities believe the murder was a targeted act. Pickens’ aunt stated that Dr. Mauck had operated on Larry’s finger. After the incident, Pickens ran from the scene but was quickly located near the clinic’s entrance and taken into custody.
No other injuries were reported, despite the presence of numerous patients and employees in the clinic during the shooting. Lane commended the clinic’s staff for their actions to safeguard others during the incident, attributing it to their active shooter training.
The Campbell Clinic remained closed on Wednesday, July 12.
The incident underlines the ongoing concern over violence against health care workers. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2020 showed health care practitioners accounted for approximately 23% of nonfatal injuries from intentional acts requiring work absence. Furthermore, research has indicated that it is usually a targeted act when health care workers are shot.
