benjamin mauck, a renowned orthopedi surgeon specializing in hand, wrist and elbow surgery. police say he was shot to death by his patient, 29-year-old larry pickens. >> our team responded quickly. >> reporter: pickens had been in the office for several hours, police say, there to be treated once inside the exam room, officials say he pulled out a handgun and started shooting he then ran out of the office and was arrested within five minutes. was he targeting this doctor specifically? >> what we know is that the -- that it was a one-on-one confrontation. it happened in an exam room. >> reporter: mauck also practiced at a local children's hospital in a statement, the interim president called him, a friend to so many of us, a beloved colleague and a dedicated physician. we already miss him. violent attacks against medical professionals have skyrocketed over the past decade, up 63% from 2011 to 2018. with aggression intensifying during the covid-19 pandemic. mauck was recently named one of the city's top doctors by "memphis" magazine, and just last week, he spoke with our affil

abrams baker, at the clinic with his wife and son for an appointment with mauck. the three of them hiding in a bathroom amid the gunfire. >> it's hard -- i'm still processing it. and the fact that we could have been shot. >> reporter: the suspect, who police say was found with a handgun, taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder. the deadly shooting coming just two weeks after mauck, a hand surgeon, was recognized as one of 2023's top doctors in memphis. mauck's clinic asking for prayers for his family, calling him "a highly respected and beloved physician." and tonight, in neighboring alabama, police investigating what they're calling a targeted shooting at a birmingham fire station this morning that injured two on-duty firefighters. both men now in serious condition. >> it's extremely unusual for someone to come target one of our fire stations. >> reporter: and david, police are still looking for a motive in that attack on those firefighters in birmingham, and in tennessee, david, the suspect in that shooting of the doctor is due in court tomorrow.

mauck, had an appointment inside the exam room to be treated.he recognized the alleged shooter from previous times he had visited the clinic. certainly a lot that's going into this investigation. when i spoke to police chief in tennessee yesterday, he told me they're still trying to determine the motive. but just as we spent time talking to people who knew dr. mauck, reading tributes to him we learned a lot about him, well-respected in the community, volunteers his time and somebody who was very dedicated to his family, his wife and his children, so certainly a terrible tragedy all around, kate. >> i'm sure the community must be mourning and are they holding any memorials for him at this point arranged in. >> reporter: there was one yesterday from what we understand. at one of the clins he served. they were closed through the day yesterday, closed in memory of him. he worked at the clinic at one of the clinics there in tennessee area, he worked at a children's hospital nearby, so certainly at lot of people in the community very touched by his wo

ben mauck, a prominent orthopedic surgeon in the memphis area, this happened at collierville clinic.all that a doctor had been shot. when they arrived they found dr. mauck dead inside an exam room. >> the suspect had a firearm in his possession, it was on his person, it wasn't in his hand. he was taken into custody without incident, so we have the suspect in custody at this time. >> reporter: again, that suspect just now i.d.ed as larry pickens. dr. mauck is being remembered, the outpouring of support on social media for the clinic, local children's hospital where he worked as a prominent renowned, respected orthopedic surgeon, those who knew and worked with him asking the community to keep his family in their thoughts and prayers. an absolutely tragedy. >> what else can you tell us about this suspected gun ann it's coming out slowly and surely. essentially they alarry pickens was a patient of dr. mauck, the chief telling our affiliate in memphis he was at the clinic for several hours leading up to the appointment. we don't know what brought him there. he was a patient, that there wa

mauck. >> was he targeting this doctor specifically?>> what we know is that there was a one-on-one confrontation. he didn't attempt to shoot anyone else, that we're aware of, at this point. once he shot the doctor, then he left the building. >> reporter: mauck was recently featured in "memphis" magazine as one of the region's top doctors. he specialized in hand and wrist surgery. just last week he spoke with our affiliate about fireworks safety. >> if any kids' hand is saved, this is worth it. >> reporter: mauck also served at a local children's hospital. the interim president writes, ben was a beloved colleague to many of us. one of his patients received two hand surgeries from dr. mauck. >> he was an amazing person and this world will definitely, definitely be different without him. he will definitely be missed. >> reporter: now, in addition to serving the community, this morning, dr. mauck is being remembered as a loving husband and father. in fact, everyone we spoke to just stressed how dedicated he was to his family. now, as for th

mauck.ve been told and seen multiple statements from hospitals and medical agencies is a prominent orthopedic surgeon in the area, both working out of those clinics and the local children's hospital. a lot of love pouring out for him on facebook and social media, and executives at the hospitals and clinics where he worked just saying that he was a beloved colleague of theirs, and a locally renowned with national ranking surgeons, so a lot of people keeping his family in theitoy, as again, police contie to investigate this tragic shooting. chris. >> maggie vespa, thank you for that. >>> 2024 republican contender struggling to get out of the former president's shadow. so is this the power of trump or the weakness of his opponents? that's next. f his opponents? that's next. with its customizable options chain, easy-to-use tools and paper trading to help sharpen your skills, you can stay on top of the market from wherever you are. e*trade from morgan stanley. make complex trading less complicate