A gunman carrying a rifle and a handgun killed four people at a Tulsa medical building on a hospital campus, police said, the latest in a series of deadly mass shootings across the country in recent weeks.
Wednesday's shootingon the campus of Saint Francis Health System happened the same week that families in Uvalde, Texas,began burying the deadfrom the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade.
More:A patient unleashed horror at a Tulsa medical center, killing 4, including his surgeon
More:How to help Tulsa shooting victims, families
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More:Citing Tulsa and other mass shootings, Biden says 'it's time to act' on gun control
More:Tulsa hospital shooting: A timeline of the shooting at Saint Francis campus that left 5 dead
More:Wednesday updates: Tulsa official says shooter targeted specific doctor
More:Tulsa shooting draws reactions from Oklahoma lawmakers, elected officials
How to help the families of Tulsa shooting victims
Donations to support the families of victims in Wednesday's shooting can be sent to the Saint Francis Employee Emergency Fund through the Tulsa Community Foundation.
The health system is offering pastoral care, pet therapy, employee assistance program services, counseling and other help for employees affected by the shooting.
To donate online, visittulsacf.org/saintfrancisstrong.
Donations can also be sent by mail to theTulsa Community Foundation.Include “Saint Francis Strong” in the memo of the check. Mail checks to Tulsa Community Foundation, 7030 S. Yale Ave., Suite 600, Tulsa, Okla., 74136.
Funds will be used to support victims' families and employees affected by the shooting, according to the foundation.
- Dana Branham
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt orders flags to half-staff
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt declared all American and Oklahoma flags on public property to be flown at half-staff through sundown Sunday to acknowledge the four victims of the Tulsa shooting.
- Ainsley Martinez
Medical community offering counseling to Saint Francis employees
The Oklahoma State Medical Association and the Tulsa County Medical Society are offering free counseling to any Saint Francis health care worker who needs it.
The organizations are opening up their Physical Wellness Program, which provides up to eight confidential one-hour counseling sessions. Appointment times are flexible and urgent appointments are available.
Any Saint Francis health care worker, whether or not they are a physician, can utilize the program at no cost.
For more information or to contact a counselor, visitokmed.org/saintfrancis.
President Biden to address mass shootings, including Tulsa
President Joe Biden will speak Thursday night on the recent spate of mass shootings.
The White House says he'll talk about his plans to press Congress on acting “to pass commonsense laws to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is taking lives every day.”
The speech follows the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 students and two teachers last week, as well as one Wednesday in Tulsa, where a gunman shot and killed four people and himself at a medical office. Biden said earlier this week that the Second Amendment was never an “absolute.”
Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the Tulsa shooting, urging Congress to pass more gun safety laws.
"No more excuses. Thoughts and prayers are important, but not enough. We need Congress to act," Harris said Thursday.This comes after multiple mass shootings in the United States, including the shootings in Uvalde, Texasand Buffalo, New York.
- Staff and wire reports
Victims, shooter of Tulsa hospital shooting identified
Tulsa police said Thursday the man that shot and killed four people at a Tulsa medical building had recently had surgery and sought to kill the doctor that performed the surgery.
The four people killed Wednesday were identified by Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin asDr. Preston Phillips,Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda GlennandWilliam Love, who was accompanying another patient.
Franklin said the shooter, identified Thursday as Michael Louis, was targeting Phillips, the doctor who had performed back surgery on Louis on May 19. Louis was released from the hospital on May 24 but had complained repeatedly over several days of ongoing back pain.
Louis called Phillips office again Wednesday, according to police, complaining of back pain and wanting additional assistance. At 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Louispurchased an AR-15 style rifle from a Tulsa gun store. Police said Louis used that rifle and a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun, purchased on May 29 from a Muskogee pawn shop, in the shooting Wednesday.
Police said 30 .223-caliber casings from the rifle and seven .40-caliber casings from the handgun were found at the scene.
Franklin said the shooter took his own life as police responded to the shooting inside the Natalie Medical Building on the campus of St. Francis Health System.
- Staff reports
Watch replay: Press conference with Tulsa police with latest on hospital shooting
- Staff reports
Oklahoma Catholic leaders offer pastoral support at Tulsa hospital
The Most Rev. David Konderla, bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa, visited St. Francis Hospital on Wednesday, along with several diocesan priests and the Religious Sisters of Mercy, to offer pastoral supportto those affected by the shooting, according to a Tulsa DioceseFacebook posting.
In another post, Konderla shared a statement.
"Please join me in prayer for all those who were injured or killed in the shooting that took place this evening at the Natalie Medical Building next to St. Francis Hospital," Konderla said.
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The Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, also shared a statement about the shooting.
"I commend Bishop Konderla, the priests of the Diocese of Tulsa and the Sisters of Mercy for their swift response to attend to the pastoral needs of those involved in this latest act of mass gun violence,' Coakley said in his statement.
"I ask Catholics and all people of faith to pray for the men and women killed today and for their families who now must grieve tremendous loss. We need to speak louder in defense of all human life from conception until natural end, and find ways to stop the mass killing of innocent human beings."
- Carla Hinton
CNN: AR-15 style gun purchased day of shooting
The AR-15 style firearm used by the shooter was purchased Wednesday, the same day of the shooting, according to CNN's Kyung Lah. Police also found a handgun on the scene, reportedly bought on May 29.
- Staff reports
The Oklahoman will be providing live updates throughout the day Thursday. Check back to this article often for the latest information.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
