ATLANTA — The doctor killed Wednesday at a hospital in Oklahoma has ties to Atlanta.
Preston Phillips was an orthopedic surgeon with an interest in spinal surgery and joint reconstruction, according to a profile on Saint Francis Health System's website. He has advanced degrees in organic chemistry and pharmacology as well as theology from Emory University.
The gunman called the clinic repeatedly complaining of pain and specifically targeted the doctor who performed the surgery, Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said.
Phillips had an interest in spinal surgery and joint reconstruction, the hospital bio said. He once served as lead physician for Tulsa’s WNBA team before the franchise moved out of state, according to the Tulsa World.
Dr. Cliff Robertson, president and CEO of Saint Francis Health System, called Phillips a "consummate gentleman" and “a man that we should all strive to emulate.” He said the three employees who were killed were “the three best people in the entire world” and that they “didn’t deserve to die this way.”
Phillips, was killed in the shooting, along with Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn and patient William Love, police said. The attack occurred on the campus of Saint Francis Health System in Tulsa.
The chief identified the shooter as Michael Louis, 45, of Muskogee, Oklahoma.
11Alive has reached out to Emory University to see if they could provide more information on his time at the institution.