The man accused of targeting a beloved Tennessee surgeon earlier this week was in court Thursday, as new details emerged in the deadly attack, including about the victim’s injuries and how authorities identified the suspect.
Dr. Benjamin Mauck was shot three times — including wounds to his neck, chest and upper abdomen — in an examination room at Campbell Clinic Orthopedics in Collierville Tuesday afternoon, the police report obtained by WMC said.
His accused killer, Larry Pickens, appeared in a Memphis-area court Thursday morning wearing an orange jail-issued jumpsuit and a face mask, according to local reports.
The Memphis man, who stands charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault, shrugged and told the judge he was “not sure” if he would be able to make his $1.2 million bail, WMCActionNews5 reported.
No attorney has been assigned, and he is due back in court on July 20.
Police arrived shortly after 2 p.m. Tuesday to the clinic where a witness explained that Mauck’s patient pulled out a handgun and started firing, the report said.
Paperwork in the exam room where Mauck’s body was found identified the suspect as Larry Pickens, 29, who was arrested a few minutes later on Popler Avenue near the clinic’s entrance.
At the time of his arrest, Pickens was carrying a backpack containing an empty pistol and two empty magazines, the report detailed.
Shortly after Mauck’s killing, Tennessee Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) told the press that the shooter had allegedly been threatening a Campbell Clinic staffer for a week before the incident.
Police also confirmed that Mauck’s attacker waited for him for “hours” before firing on the dad of two.
Mauck, who also worked as a surgeon at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, boasted a 4.9 rating with patients and was named on Memphis Magazine’s 2023 Top Doctor List just last week.
In addition to his young children, he is survived by his wife, Rhiannon Mauck.
