As Meredith Cash explained for Insider, a mass shooting at the Saint Francis Hospital campus in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Wednesday afternoon left the gunman and four other people dead.
One of the victims has a direct tie to a North American professional sports league.
Per Cash and TMZ Sports, Dr. Preston Phillips was directly targeted by the shooter during Wednesday's gun-related tragedy. Phillips previously served as the team doctor for the WNBA's Tulsa Shock beginning back in 2010, but the Shock ultimately relocated and became the Dallas Wings after the 2015 season.
According to the reports, the shooter, 45, was a patient of Phillips and blamed the doctor for pain he experienced following back surgery in May. Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said the shooter left a note at the scene that "made it clear that he came in with the intent to kill Dr. Phillips and anyone who got in his way."
Former Shock head coach Gary Kloppenburg, currently with the Indiana Fever of the WNBA, took to Twitter to respond to the news:
Lord help us, our wonderful @wnba @TulsaShock team doctor Preston Phillips was one of the innocent people murdered in the latest mass shooting. Such a kind and compassionate man who loved basketball and looked out for our players.
— gary kloppenburg (@CoachKlop) June 2, 2022
The dereliction of duty by the OK legislature and @GovStitt who have failed to protect their citizenry by implementing insanely loose gun laws hits close to home. RIP Doc
— gary kloppenburg (@CoachKlop) June 2, 2022
The WNBA hadn't commented on the matter as of late Thursday afternoon.
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