Respected surgeon shot dead in his exam room by patient, police say

A well-respected hand surgeon in Tennessee was gunned down in his exam room this week, and the suspect in the case is believed to be one of his patients.

At around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dr. Benjamin Mauck, a 43-year-old father of two who specialized in hand and elbow surgeries, was gunned down in the Campbell Clinic in Collierville, a suburb of Memphis. When police arrived at the scene, they discovered the suspect, later identified as Larry Pickens, attempting to flee. Some have alleged that Pickens, one of Mauck's patients, had been threatening the doctor and stalking clinic staff for at least a week, though police claimed they never received reports about those threats.

Pickens may have deliberately targeted Mauck and waited "for hours" for the opportunity to attack him, witnesses said. Inside the exam room, the suspect allegedly fired at least one round from a handgun before attempting to escape. Officers arrived almost immediately, though, and the suspect was apprehended within a matter of minutes, a gun still in his possession. Police are now trying to establish a motive for the fatal shooting.

Video shows police response after deadly Collierville clinic shootingwww.youtube.com

"This appears to be a one-on-one interaction that occurred within an exam room," said Collierville Police Chief Dale Lane. "This was not a mass-shooting situation."

Irina Ollar, director of marketing and PR at Campbell Clinic, issued a statement confirming Mauck's death and repeatedly asking the community for prayers. "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," the statement read in part. Ollar also announced that the clinic would remain closed at least through Wednesday.

"Our priorities remain Faith, Family and Patient Care," Ollar added. "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."

In addition to the Campbell Clinic, Mauck was also associated with Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, where he led the congenital hand clinic. "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," said a portion of a statement from Le Bonheur surgeon-in-chief Dr. Trey Eubanks. "We already miss him."

By all accounts, Mauck was loved and respected by his colleagues and so many patients and their families. Just last week, he was featured in Memphis magazine as one of the area's top doctors of 2023. "The hand is how we interact with the outside world -- and when your hand is involved -- it affects almost every single thing you do," Mauck told the outlet, according to Fox 13 Memphis. Mauck enjoyed a 4.9 out of 5 rating with patients. He is survived by his wife, Rhiannon Mauck, and their two children.

Pickens, who turns 30 next week, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault. His bond has been sent at $1.2 million. Pickens has no known criminal history in Collierville, though police are now investigating whether he has had prior police interactions in other jurisdictions.

"[Dr. Mauck] was the hand surgeon who found my cancer and performed my amputation," said former patient Josh Jacobs. "I give him partial credit for possibly saving my life. The work he did for me was amazing. This is very sad news to hear."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!