COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. — The partner of the physician who was shot to death Tuesday afternoon at the Campbell Clinic has released a statement honoring the surgeon for his compassion and gifts to the community.
Dr. William Weller, a mentee of Dr. Benjamin Mauck, described the physician as "deeply devoted to his family, friends and community." Weller said that the loss "will be felt throughout the region and beyond" as Mauck was "committed to providing hand care, especially to those in need."
"He changed the lives of countless children by reconstructing birth defects to provide functional hands for children," Weller said. "Ben was a mentor to myself and many other aspiring orthopedic surgeons and hand surgeons. He has a dogged approach to pursuing excellence in every aspect of his practice, from bedside to operating room."
Additionally, the clinic's Collierville location will remain closed the week of July 16, the clinic said. All other locations of the Campbell Clinic are said to be open with standard business hours.
Collierville Police released the name of the suspect charged with Mauck's murder on the day after the shooting. Larry Pickens, 29, of Memphis is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault.
It was then revealed that Pickens had been involved in incidents at the Campbell Clinic in Germantown the week before the attack.
Germantown police said on the morning of Wednesday, July 5, its officers responded to two calls involving Pickens at the Campbell Clinic on Wolf River Boulevard. Investigators said clinic staff were concerned about “unusual behavior” that Pickens was exhibiting and called police.
The Germantown Police Department (GPD) GPD said Pickens left the property, but they returned a short time later, which led to a second call for police to respond.
According to the affidavit from Collierville Police, officers responded to an active shooter call at the Campbell Clinic on Poplar Ave. about 2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 11.
The affidavit said one witness recognized Pickens from previous visits. According to the affidavit, Pickens was in an exam room being treated by Dr. Mauck when he pulled a gun from his waistband and fired three shots at the doctor, who died at the scene.
Authorities haven't disclosed a possible motive for the shooting.
Pickens is in the Collierville Jail on $1,200,000 bond. During a court hearing in Collierville Thursday, Pickens told the judge he could not afford the bail and wasn't sure if he could afford a lawyer, the Commercial Appeal reported. He did not enter a plea. Judge Lee Ann Dobson told Pickens that a public defender would not cost him anything and set his next court date for July 20.
Collierville Police said the case remains under investigation and no further details will be released for now.
In addition to living as a "devoted husband, son and brother," Dr. Wells said in his statement about Dr. Mauck's that the physicians' compassion "extended beyond just his patients."
"He cared for his friends deeply," Weller said. "As a resident physician he volunteered to cover extra shifts so that one of his co-residents could be with their family in their time of tragedy."
Patients alike are reeling after the tragic killing at the Campbell Clinic Tuesday.
Evelyn Mitchell Irby said she was a patient of Dr. Mauck’s for nearly six years. After being diagnosed with lupus, Mitchell Irby says Dr. Mauck helped her through the ordeal, during which, she feared for her life.
“There were times where I couldn't move my hands,” Mitchell Irby said. “I couldn't walk upstairs [and other] different things and when I would call him about the issues I was facing, he had no problem getting me in to see me, to see what was going on, to changing the medication, trying something new. He was really open to that. More than just even physically, [Dr. Mauck helped with] taking away the pain mentally. He would sit there and talk to me. He would let me cry.”
Mitchell Irby says Dr. Mauck treated all of his patients like family. And while he was a great doctor, Mitchell Irby says he was an even better father.
“I remember when he found out he was going to become a father, how excited he was,” she said. “And then when the second child came, he was even more excited and he would ask me about my kids and check on my family. So just those little things, those little extra things were very important."
