Tennessee Man Accused of Fatally Shooting Surgeon in Exam Room After Threatening Him Week Before Deadly Attack

A surgeon was shot and killed in Tennessee and the suspect allegedly was making threats to the doctor the week before the deadly incident, authorities said.

According to the Collierville Police Department, the shooting occurred around 2:30 p.m. on July 11. The victim was identified as Dr. Benjamin Mauck, a surgeon who specialized in elbow, hand and wrist surgery.

During a press briefing, Collierville Police Chief Dale Lane said the suspect, later identified as 29-year-old Larry Pickens, was taken into custody without incident within five minutes of the shooting.

Pickens was a patient at the hospital and shot Dr. Mauck in an exam room, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported. Lane said Pickens was at the scene for several hours before the deadly attack.

Lane said it appeared to be a “one-on-one encounter” in an exam room, but there were multiple patients and employees present in the clinic at the time.

According to WREG, a witness at the scene said Pickens had been threatening Dr. Mauck for at least a week. However, at a press briefing, police said the department had no knowledge of the alleged threats.

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Pickens was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault, authorities said. His bail was set at $1.2 million and he is scheduled to be arraigned on July 13.

The investigation is ongoing.