When a Painful Fix Turns Deadly: Tulsa Hospital Shooting
On a quiet Tuesday, a man named Michael Louis barged into the St. Francis Health System campus in Tulsa, Oklahoma, armed with a semi‑automatic rifle and a vengeance‑filled letter. What followed was a tragedy that left five people dead—at least one of them a doctor who had recently performed his surgery—and revealed a disturbing chain of events that starts with back pain.
What Went Down
- Michael Louis entered the building with a clear goal: “kill Dr. Preston Phillips and anyone who stands in my way.”
- He didn’t let anyone escape—two doctors, a receptionist, and a patient were all shot.
- While the gunman was the only one to survive the exchange, his panicked heart smoothed a shock that left his body empty.
The Victims
- Dr. Preston Phillips, 59, an orthopedic surgeon who had laid his back on a mas‑to‑fushioned bed.
- Dr. Stephanie Husen, 48, a sports‑medicine specialist who championed the healing of the routine.
- Amanda Glenn (later corrected to Green), the receptionist whose name was mixed up on the hospital’s Facebook page.
- William Love, a patient who was caught in the chaos.
Why the Gunman Attacked
The suspect had been discharged from the same hospital after a back‑surgery on May 24. In the weeks that followed, he made phone calls complaining about his pain and blaming Dr. Phillips for the triggering drug and the subsequent discomfort. He finally convinced himself that his doctor had been responsible for a lifelong ache – a guilt that pushed him to the edge.
When police interrogated the letter found at his home, it became clear: the attack was not a random shoot‑out, but a targeted revenge mission. The plan was ominously simple: “Show the back‑pain doctor what back‑pain really feels like.” Sadly, the plan went horribly wrong.
What This Means for the Nation
One day later, the shooting landed in the headlines, adding weight to a debate that’s been raging: should we lock up firearms more seriously or put more mental‑health support in place? The story is an echo that reminds the country of the stakes involved every time a person, hurt by pain or grief, decides to pick up a gun.
Bottom Line
All this for the purpose of settling a back‑pain and a doctor‑patient misunderstanding that could have been addressed with a simple conversation. Now a city mourns five lost lives and a nation questions what’s next.
<img alt="" data-caption="Emergency personnel work at the scene of a shooting at the Saint Francis hospital campus, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 1, 2022.
PHOTO: Reuters” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”88e3c927-3a7a-4619-ac99-436725dc89e0″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/030622_police_reuters.jpg”/>
Hospital Shootout: A Heart‑Breaking Day for the Community
“Enough is enough. This must stop. Hospitals are pillars of our communities,” cried Chip Kahn, the chief executive of the Federation of American Hospitals, after the tragic incident. His words echoed the anguish felt by everyone who walked those hallowed halls.
The Weapon Trail
- A high‑capacity rifle was bought at a local gun shop earlier that Wednesday.
- A pistol followed on a pawn shop visit just three days prior.
- Both weapons were brought into the Natalie building, a five‑story medical office complex buzzing with activity.
The Desperate Descent
The suspect first parked in the second‑floor garage behind the Natalie building, then stepped through the 2nd‑floor entryway, weaving through offices, rooms, and hallways until the chaos erupted. Police got the call at 4:53 p.m. CDT (5:53 a.m. Singapore time) and arrived within three minutes, racing up the stairs amid the muffled sounds of gunfire.
Rapid Response
Five minutes later, officers confronted the attacker. Just five minutes after that, a gunshot rang out, which the police declared was the gunman shooting himself.
Capt. Franklin summed up their mission: “When we get that call, we drop our safety gear, rush in, and neutralize the threat by any means necessary. That’s how we train.”
Reflections on Response Time
Many heard echoes of last week’s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where police waited about an hour before storming a classroom where the gunman had barricaded himself. The delayed response sparked criticism that it might have cost lives. “We’re not looking back,” Franklin said, charging that his team had learned from those lessons and reacted faster in the hospital scenario.
Community Loss and Hope
For those tied to the hospital’s mission and the broader community, the tragedy sends a wave of sorrow and a call to action: enhance safety, prevent pain, and keep hospitals safe fortresses for all of us. The closing of that station reminds us—once again—that we must stop gun violence before it silences the very people who heal and hope for our wellbeing.
