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A popular Tennessee surgeon was fatally shot in an exam room on Tuesday (July 11). Collierville Police Chief Dale Lane said that officers received a call about the shooting around 2 p.m. at Campbell Clinic Orthopedics. Officers responded within five minutes and took the suspect, 29-year-old Larry Pickens, into custody outside the building.
Investigators said that Dr. Benjamin Mauck was targeted by Pickens, who spent several hours at the facility before the shooting. A witness also told WREG that Pickens had been threatening Mauck for about a week before the attack.
"This appears to be a one-on-one interaction; it occurred in an exam room," Lane said.
Lane did not say why Pickens wanted to kill Mauck. Pickens is facing charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault and is being held on a $1.2 million bond.
"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," said Irina Ollar, director of marketing and public relations at Campbell Clinic. "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."