Tulsa shooting: Five dead in attack on medical clinic
Police have identified the suspect and four victims who were killed on Wednesday in Tulsa at the Saint Francis Hospital campus.
Tulsa police chief Wendell Franklin told reporters on Thursday morning that Michael Louis, the suspect, wanted to kill Dr Preston Phillips over recent back surgery and pain he felt.
He said the suspect purchased a semi-automatic rifle hours before the shooting took place on Wednesday afternoon, killing another physician, a receptionist and a patient.
Meanwhile, witnesses have recalled what happened when the gunman armed with a rifle and handgun opened fire and took his own life.
Officers responded to the scene within four minutes to find a “catastrophic scene”, said Tulsa police Capt Richard Meulenberg.
Mr Franklin praised the actions of his officers for doing what they had been trained to do, “to take immediate action without hesitation, that’s exactly what our officers do”.
The others killed include Dr Stephanie J Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn, and hospital patient William Love.
Police clear bomb threat at Tulsa shooter’s home
“No devices were found,” Muskogee police spokesperson Lynn Hamlin said.
Josh Marcus3 June 2022 03:20
My daughter was killed by a shooter. None of us want Republicans’ thoughts and prayers
“The fight for sensible gun legislation has been thwarted by Republican lawmakers in the pockets of the gun lobby — all cowards who only offer the usual ‘thought and prayers’, or tell the public that ‘now is not the time to talk about gun control ‘,” writes Andy Parker, whose daughter was killed in a shooting.
Read the rest of his Independent Voices opinion piece on what needs to be done to stop future tragedies.
Josh Marcus3 June 2022 03:50
What was the Tulsa shooter’s motive?
Officials have identified the man suspected of shooting and killing four people at a medical clinic in Oklahoma.
Tulsa Police Department police chief Wendell Franklin said that Michael Louis, who they believe also died of self-inflicted wounds, was a patient at Tulsa medical clinic and was admitted to the facility on May 19 for back surgery.
“On May 31, Dr. [Preston] Phillips saw Mr. Louis again for additional treatment. Yesterday, June 1, Mr Louis called Dr Phillips’ office again and wanting additional assistance,” the police chief said in a statement.
Johanna Chisholm has the details.
Josh Marcus3 June 2022 04:20
Tulsa shooting: Everything we know about hospital attack that killed four people
Read the latest details on the Tulsa shooting.
Josh Marcus3 June 2022 04:50
Republican pulls out firearms to oppose gun control during House hearing
Republican Florida Representative Greg Steube pulled out several guns as he took part in a debate on gun violence via Zoom.
The House Judiciary Committee was discussing a package of gun control measures following a series of mass shootings across the US.
The Florida lawmaker was taking part via video call when he showed off his firearms while arguing against specific measures in the package that would institute limits on magazines.
“I hope to God that gun isn’t loaded,” Texas Democrat Sheila Lee said.
“I’m at my house. I can do whatever I want with my guns,” Mr Steube responded.
Here’s more from Gustaf Kilander who was watching the action for The Independent.
Stuti Mishra3 June 2022 05:20
Shooting outside Iowa church kills two
Two people and a shooter died Thursday night in another shooting reported outside a church in Ames, authorities said.
The church is near Interstate 35, about 48.28 kilometers north of Des Moines.
Stuti MishraJune 3, 2022, 5:35 a.m.
Multiple people shot in ‘critical incident’ at Wisconsin funeral
Multiple people have been shot in a ‘critical incident’ at a cemetery where a funeral was taking place in Wisconsin, in yet another shooting incident reported this week.
The incident took place during the funeral at Graceland Cemetery in Racine on Thursday afternoon, the police say.
“There are victims but unknown how many at this time,” Racine Police Department tweeted.
Stuti MishraJune 3, 2022, 5:55 a.m.
‘Thoughts and prayers are important but not enough’ says Harris
Vice president Kamala Harris in an address on Thursday once again stressed the need for “common-sense gun safety laws” and claimed Joe Biden has done more to combat gun violence “than any other president”.
“All of us hold the people of Tulsa in our hearts,” said Ms Harris, “but we also reaffirm our commitment to passing common-sense gun safety laws.
“President Biden has taken more executive action to combat gun violence than any other president,” she said. “But we cannot as an administration, or those of us who are here, address this alone.”
No more excuses. Thoughts and prayers are important, but not enough. We need Congress to act.
(AP)
Stuti MishraJune 3, 2022, 6:15 a.m.
American schools and public places have become ‘battlefields’ says Biden in call for action on gun violence
#ICYMI President Joe Biden delivered a plea for action on gun violence on Thursday as the nation recovers from a spate of mass shootings including horrific massacres in New York and Texas.
The president spoke live Thursday evening as members of the Senate, on recess, huddle to discuss possible compromised legislation in response to the shocking scenes of slaughter which unfolded at a supermarket and elementary school over the past few weeks.
Even those shootings, nightmarish as they are, risk falling into memory now in the face of violence that has unfolded in the days following those attacks in Uvalde and Buffalo, including shootings at a hospital in Tulsa and a high school in Los Angeles.
”There are too many other schools, too many other everyday places that have become killing places, battlefields here in America,” Mr Biden declared on Thursday from the White House.
John Bowden has the details.
Stuti MishraJune 3, 2022, 6:35 a.m.
Everything we know about the Tulsa hospital gunman
The suspected gunman of Tulsa named as Michael Louis, killed five people, including himself, on a hospital campus on 1 June as the nation reels from a series of mass shootings across the US, including massacres in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York.
He was a patient at the Tulsa medical clinic and was admitted to the facility on May 19 for back surgery. He reportedly called several times to complain about subsequent pain and sought “additional treatment”.
Louis bought an AR-15-style rifle hours before the attack. He also purchased a semi-automatic handgun on 29 May from a local pawn shop, the police chief said.
Shweta Sharma has more details here:
Stuti Mishra3 June 2022 07:00