The gunman who killed his surgeon and three other people at a Tulsa medical office has been identified as 45-year-old Michael Louis by Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin.
According to authorities, Louis blamed his physician Dr. Preston Phillips for the continued pain he had after a recent surgery, so he purchased a rifle hours before the shooting. Louis apparently called the clinic multiple times complaining about pain.
Franklin said around 5:00 pm Louis made his way to the second floor of the Natalie Medical Building at Saint Francis Health System medical building and opened fire, targeting Dr. Phillips, then killing himself as police arrived.
Police say Louis had a letter on him indicating he went to the medical center with the intent to kill Dr. Phillips.
Franklin saying the letter “made it clear that he came in with the intent to kill Dr. Phillips and anyone who got in his way. He blamed Dr. Phillips for the ongoing pain following the surgery.”
Dr. Phillips, Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn and visitor William Love were all killed in the attack.
According to a profile on the clinic’s website, 59-year-old Dr. Phillips was an orthopedic surgeon with an interest in spinal surgery and joint reconstruction, . He once served as lead physician for Tulsa’s WNBA team before the franchise moved out of state, according to the Tulsa World.
Officials say Husen was 48 and Glenn was 40.
Karen Denise Love said her 73-year-old father was retired Army sergeant who was accompanying his wife to the clinic for her six-month checkup.
Karen Love said her parents were in an examination room with one of Phillips’ assistants when they heard the chaos outside. When they realized it was a shooting, she said, her dad went into action,
“As they heard this guy going up and down the hall, they knew it was gunfire. They thought it was someone just shooting people. My dad was trying to hold the door the best he could.”
Police responded to 911 calls in about three minutes. The first report was made at 4:52, and police made contact with the shooter at 5:01,
“Our training led us to take immediate action without hesitation. That’s exactly what officers do and that’s what they did in this instance.”
The shooting is the latest in a string of mass shootings including the massacre in Uvalde, Texas, the mass shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York and the weekly occurrence of gun violence taking place in the city of Chicago.
