Doctor killed in Tulsa shooting earned degrees from Emory, was shooter’s target

TULSA, Okla. — The shooting at a medical facility in Tulsa claimed the life of a doctor who attended Emory University.

Dr. Preston Phillips was one of four people killed when a gunman, identified as Michael Louis, entered the Natalie Medical Building Wednesday carryng a rifle and a handgun.

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According to his biography, Phillips graduated from Harvard Medical School. He also earned advanced degrees in organic chemistry and pharmacology as well as theology from Emory University.

Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said Thursday that Phillips recently performed back surgery on Louis on May 19.

Louis was released from the hospital on May 24 and complained of pain. Franklin said that Louis blamed Phillips for his pain.

Fox 23, Channel 2′s sister station in Tulsa, reported that Louis left a note detailing his plan to kill Dr. Phillips and “anyone who stood in his way.”

Police said Louis had purchased an AR-style rifle hours before the shooting.

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Fox 23 reported the call came in for an active shooter at 4:52 p.m. Wednesday. By 5:01 p.m., Tulsa police were on the second floor of the Natalie building where they found the gunman and the victims dead.

Officers found Phillips dead in an exam room.

Police said Louis shot and killed three other people: Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn and another patient William Love.

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Authorities said the gunman carried a rifle and handgun during the shooting at the medical building on a hospital campus, the latest in a series of deadly mass shootings across the country in recent weeks.

“This person didn’t come to a hospital looking to shoot random people for any reason he had very specific purpose today he went to this floor he went to this building cause he had intent,” Capt. Richard Meulenberg of the Tulsa Police Department said.

4 killed in shooting in Tulsa medical building; gunman dead Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin identified the gunman who killed four people as Michael Lewis, a patient who undertook back surgery on May 19. (NCD)

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