The suspect in the deadly shooting at a hospital campus in Tulsa, Oklahoma, bought his AR-15 style semiautomatic rifle on the day of the massacre in order to kill Dr. Preston Phillips who had performed surgery on him and whom he blamed for enduring pain, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said on Thursday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd June, 2022) The suspect in the deadly shooting at a hospital campus in Tulsa, Oklahoma, bought his AR-15 style semiautomatic rifle on the day of the massacre in order to kill Dr. Preston Phillips who had performed surgery on him and whom he blamed for enduring pain, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said on Thursday.
The shooting incident took place on Wednesday and resulted in five people being killed, including the gunman.
"We know through the help of our ATF and their gun tracing that at 2 p.m. on June 1 Mr. Louis purchased a semiautomatic rifle from a local gun store. That semiautomatic rifle was an AR-15 style rifle. We know that Mr. Louis purchased a semiautomatic handgun, a 4.0-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol, on May 29 from a local pawn shop," Franklin said during a press conference.
Franklin provided the timeline of the incident, which started with a 911 call by someone who was on a video call with a doctor at the hospital.
When law enforcement officers came to the hospital building and were making their way to the second floor, they heard a shot when the suspect took his life, he said.
"We have also found a letter on the suspect which made it clear that he came in with the intent to kill Dr. Phillips and anyone who got in his way. He blamed Dr. Phillips for the ongoing pain following the surgery," Franklin said.
On May 19, the gunman went to the hospital for a back surgery that was performed Dr. Phillips and was released on May 24, he said.
Following his release, Louis called the hospital several times over several days complaining of pain, and on May 31 the doctor saw him for additional treatment, Franklin said.
However, the gunman called again complaining of back pain and wanting additional assistance, Franklin also said, noting that the authorities recovered multiple casings from the crime scene.
The other victims were in the hospital awaiting medical services and stood in the way of the gunman, he added.
