COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. (WMC) – Campbell Clinic confirmed Tuesday night that Dr. Benjamin Mauck, a Memphis hand surgeon, was shot and killed by a patient at his Collierville clinic on Tuesday.
The shooter was arrested outside the clinic a short time later.
Collierville police have not released the name or age of the accused shooter, but did say it was a targeted incident.
“It’s bad. It’s horrible. It’s terrible,” Collierville Police Chief Dale Lane said.
The Collierville Police Department was called to the clinic shortly after 2 p.m. The officers were on the scene within five minutes of the call.
Collierville Campbell Clinic Police(Action News 5)
Police say a patient fatally shot Dr. Mauck in an exam room.
Officers found the suspect on Poplar Avenue, near the entrance to the clinic, with a gun on his person. Police say he was taken into custody without incident.
“So it appears to be a one-on-one interaction that occurred within an exam room,” Chief Lane said. “This was not a mass shooting situation that we experienced at Kroger several years ago, nothing like that.”
In a news conference Tuesday, Chief Lane referenced the September 2021 grocery store shooting that left one Kroger customer dead and 13 others injured.
Collierville police offered active shooter training after this tragedy, and Lane said the training helped Campbell Clinic staff deal with this horrific event.
“They were practicing what they had been trained to do,” Lane said, “and man, that made a difference. It absolutely makes a difference.”
Hours after the shooting, the Campbell Clinic identified the victim as Dr. Mauck, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in elbow, hand and wrist surgeries.
Action News 5 interviewed Dr. Mauck last week for a report on fireworks-related injuries to children during the Fourth of July holiday.
So was Dr. Mauck just appointed one of the best doctors in Memphis by a nationally recognized group.
“Earlier today, we experienced a single shooter event at our Collierville clinic.
“We are shocked and heartbroken to confirm that the incident resulted in the tragic loss of one of our most respected and beloved physicians, Dr. Ben Mauck. We ask that you please lift up his family in prayer.
“During this difficult time, we will be working through many details and will keep you informed as we can.
“We have decided to close all Campbell Clinic locations tomorrow, July 12 and will communicate the reopening of all facilities at a later date.
“We are grateful to our local law enforcement officers who responded within minutes. We will continue to work closely with authorities as this remains an active investigation.
“Our priorities remain faith, family and patient care. 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 working at the Campbell Clinic, Dr. Mauck was also on staff at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Trey Eubanks, interim president and chief surgeon at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, sent this statement to his staff in response to the tragic news:
“We were shocked to learn that Campbell Clinic and Le Bonheur surgeon Ben Mauck tragically passed away today at his Collierville clinic.
“Ben was a friend to many of us: a respected member of our Le Bonheur family, a beloved colleague and a dedicated physician to so many patients.
“We miss him already.
“His death is an unthinkable tragedy, and I don’t know what to say. I am so sorry for those who loved and knew him, for those who worked alongside him every day.
“I am also grateful to this team, to all of you. And I encourage each of you to be kind to each other during this time. Ask for support and offer it when needed. We will all be affected in some way by this loss.
“We will schedule meetings and provide spiritual care and EAP sessions.
“Please keep the entire Campbell Clinic family and especially Ben’s family in your thoughts and prayers.”
Investigators have not released a motive for the shooting.
“I’d say don’t live your life in fear, okay?” said Chief Lane. “We just have to be alert. Pay attention to our surroundings. Do as the people at the Campbell Clinic did today when it first started, they reacted the way they were trained.”
All Campbell Clinic locations will remain closed until further notice.
Tennessee officials say a health care worker was shot and killed by a patient at a clinic on Tuesday. (Source: WMC)
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