An orthopedic surgeon that authorities believe was targeted during a shooting at a Tulsa, Oklahoma medical office did his surgical residency at Yale New Haven Hospital.
The Yale healthcare system said Dr. Preston Phillips was a resident in their orthopedic surgery residency training program from 1990 to 1996.
"It is hard to process yet another tragedy of this nature and we offer our prayers to his friends and the families involved. We must recommit ourselves to finding a better path forward by bolstering support for behavioral health services as we do everything in our power to eliminate the scourge of gun violence in our communities," said Thomas Balcezak, chief clinical officer at Yale New Haven Health.
Phillips was killed along with another doctor, a receptionist and a patient. Investigators say the shooter had a letter on him stating that he intended to kill Phillips and “anyone who got in his way” because he blamed the surgeon for ongoing back pain after a recent back surgery.
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The other victims were identified as Dr. Stephanie Husen, Amanda Glenn and William Love.
According to the Saint Francis health system, Phillips was a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with an interest in spinal surgery and joint reconstruction.
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The victims and gunman were found on the second floor of the Natalie Medical Building where an orthopedic office is located, police said. The shooter, identified as Michael Louis, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police believe the gunman bought his weapons legally. The shooter bought an AR-style semi-automatic rifle on the afternoon of the shooting and a handgun on Sunday.
Wednesday's shooting happened the same week that families in Uvalde, Texas, began burying the dead from the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade.
