(NewsNation) — A tight-knit community is shaken after two doctors, a receptionist and a patient were killed at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, hospital by a man police say then took his own life on Wednesday.
The gunman shot and killed Dr. Preston Phillips, Dr. Stephanie Husen, Amanda Glenn and William Love in a medical building on the campus of Saint Francis Hospital.
The shooter had recently undergone surgery performed by Phillips and “he blamed Dr. Phillips for the ongoing pain following the surgery.”
Dr. Cliff Robertson, president and CEO of Saint Francis Health System, was visibly shaken when asked about Dr. Phillips, a physician he described as “cut from the cloth of four decades ago.”
“Preston, Dr. Phillips, was the consummate gentleman,” Robertson said. “He is. He was. He is a man we should all strive to emulate.”
Phillips, 59, was an orthopedic surgeon with an interest in spinal surgery and joint reconstruction, according to a profile on the clinic’s website. He once served as lead physician for Tulsa’s WNBA team before the franchise moved out of state, according to the Tulsa World.
Robertson called Phillips’ death “the ultimate loss for Saint Francis and for Tulsa.”
Officials touted the victims as the hospital’s heroes who had just survived the darkness of the pandemic only to die at the hands of a patient.
Robertson said the three employees who were killed were “the three best people in the entire world” and they “didn’t deserve to die this way.”
William Love, 73, was a retired Army First Sergeant with 27 years of service who served in Vietnam. He leaves behind two daughters, eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Amanda Dawn Glenn, 40, was described as a devoted wife and mother, loving sister, and daughter who worked in the medical field for over 18 years. She is survived by her husband and two sons.
Dr. Stephanie Husen, 48, was a sports and internal medicine specialist with the Warren Clinic. She finished her undergraduate degree at the University of Oklahoma and was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. “Our hearts are with the family and loved ones who lost such an incredible woman,” the sorority wrote, in part, in a message shared on Instagram. “She was known and loved by so many and will always be remembered. No words could ever take away the pain of those affected, but know that we are here in full support and will continue to pray.”
Tulsa’s tight-knit community is left trying to process the horror.
“Our job is to help and heal,” Robertson said. “And we are here to do our job, even if it is with broken hearts.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.