Collierville clinic shooting: Dr. Benjamin Mauck, Memphis orthopedic and hand doctor shot & killed by patient in examination room. No known motive.
A top Memphis hand doctor has died after being fatally shot by a patient in his examination room at a Collierville clinic in a ‘targeted attack.’
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Benjamin Mauck was killed at the Campbell Clinic in Collierville, Memphis, Tennessee at 2pm on Tuesday.
Officers rushed to the scene and found the suspect on Poplar Avenue near the entrance of the clinic with a gun. The gunman was taken into custody.
‘It’s not good enough!’ Disgruntled patient charged with shooting death of Collierville orthopedic
‘One-on-one interaction’
Police have not yet released the name, age, or potential motive of the suspect, who is said to have been spotted pacing the facility before carrying out the killing.
Dr Mauck, 43, was remembered as a phenomenal doctor. Many of his patients, who lauded him as ‘kind, funny, and smart,’ said he saved their lives with his vital work.
The medic leaves behind a wife and two young children.
Collierville Police Chief Dale Lane said: ‘It’s bad. It’s horrific. It’s terrible.
‘So, this appears to be a one-on-one interaction that occurred within an exam room. This was not a mass shooting situation.’
Just five days ago, Dr Mauck was heralded in the Memphis Magazine and by the national medical group Castle Connolly as one of the city’s top doctors in a gushing feature.
Dr Mauck told the magazine just last month: ‘It’s never boring.
‘This work involves treating sports injuries, trauma, cancer, and soft-tissue defects. It’s a field of orthopedics that crosses over into other specialties like plastic surgery and neurology.’
Warned the orthopedic ironically days before the Fourth of July: ‘Keep your kids away from fireworks.’
‘Shocked and heartbroken’
Dr Mauck worked as a hand surgeon at Campbell Clinic Orthopedics and was also the head of the Congenital Hand Clinic at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.
Dr Mauck graduated from Lambuth University in 2002, before attending med school at the University of Tennessee-Memphis. He then completed his residency at UT-Campbell Clinic.
Irina Ollar, director of marketing and PR at Campbell Clinic, said in a statement: ‘Earlier today, we experienced a single shooter event inside our Collierville clinic.
‘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 ask that you please lift his family in prayer
‘During this difficult time, we will be working through many details and will keep you updated as we are able.
‘We have decided to close all Campbell Clinic locations tomorrow, July 12 and will communicate the reopening of all facilities at a later time.
‘We appreciate our local law enforcement officers who responded within minutes. We will continue to work closely with authorities as this remains an active investigation.
‘Our priorities remain Faith, Family and Patient Care. At this time, we ask for your prayers for the entire Campbell Clinic family, as well as for the privacy of Dr. Mauck’s family.’
No known motive
Dr. Trey Eubanks, interim president, surgeon-in-chief at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, said: ‘We were shocked to learn that Campbell Clinic and Le Bonheur surgeon Ben Mauck tragically was killed today at his clinic in Collierville.
‘Ben was a friend to so many of us – a respected member of our Le Bonheur family, a beloved colleague and a dedicated physician to so many patients.
‘We already miss him.
‘His death is an unthinkable tragedy, and I am at loss at what to say. I am so sorry to those who loved and knew him, for those who worked alongside him every day.
‘I am also grateful to this team, all of you. And I encourage each of you to be gentle with each other during this time. Ask for support and offer it when needed. We will all be affected by this loss in some way.
‘We will schedule debriefings and offering spiritual care and EAP sessions.
‘Please keep the entire Campbell Clinic family and especially Ben’s family in your thoughts and prayers.’
All Campbell Clinic locations will remain closed.
To date police declined to release a murder motive and whether the suspect was an ongoing patient of the surgeon who had recently been treated.
