(CNN Spanish) — The United States relives the nightmare of a mass shooting: this time in a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a man gunman, identified as Michael Louis, opened fire on Wednesday and claimed the lives of four people.
The victims were Dr. Preston Phillips, Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn, and patient William Love. Police revealed Thursday that Louis was a patient of Dr. Phillips, who performed back surgery on him on May 19. He had called multiple times over multiple days complaining of pain and seeking further treatment, according to city police chief Wendell Franklin.
When they arrived at the scene of the shooting, police found Louis dead at the hospital. Authorities later found a letter the attacker was carrying “which made it clear that he entered with the intent (to) kill Dr. Phillips” and anyone who got in his way, Franklin said.
This is the timeline of the mass shooting that the authorities have revealed with the information available so far.
(Credit: REUTERS/Michael Noble Jr.
The days before the Tulsa hospital shooting
Police Chief Franklin on Thursday provided a timeline of the shooting, warning that “information is fluid and may still change, but it is the most accurate we have at this time.”
- may 19: Michael Louis was admitted to the hospital in Tulsa to undergo back surgery, which was performed by Dr. Preston Phillips.
- May 24: Louis is released from the hospital.
- May 29: Louis purchased a semi-automatic weapon, a .40-caliber Smith and Wesson pistol, at a local pawn shop.
- may 31: Dr. Phillips returned to Louis for further treatment.
- June 1: Louis called Dr. Phillips’ office once more complaining of back pain and asking for additional care.
- June 1: at 2 pm Louis bought a semi-automatic rifle at a local store. That semi-automatic rifle was an AR 15-style rifle. This information was compiled with the help of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The June 1 Shooting (all times are in Central Time)
- 4:52 pm: a “third person” in an “off-site video chat with a doctor who was on scene called 911 and reported that the doctor told him to call the emergency number to report there was a shooting.”
- 4:53 pm: Tulsa police received a 911 call regarding an attacker in a building, which was followed by additional calls with more specific information regarding the location of the shooting.
- 4:55 pm: One person called and pinpointed the Natalie building as the scene of the shooting.
- 4:56 pm: the first Tulsa police officers arrived and began to prepare and enter the building.
- 4:58 pm: while on the second floor of the building, the officers began yelling “Tulsa police.” “As officers yelled ‘Tulsa Police’ and moved toward the suspect’s location, they heard a gunshot. We believe that was the last shot the suspect used to take his own life,” Franklin said.
“The shot occurred at 4:58 pm, approximately 39 seconds following the first police officers entered the building,” he said.
“When we get that call, we disregard any security measures we might have in place for ourselves, and go into the building to deal with the threat,” Franklin added.
“Our philosophy is that we are going to stop the threat and we will do it by any means necessary. That is exactly the mentality of the agents who went to the scene yesterday and, in my opinion, they acted heroically,” he added.
With information from Amanda Watts, Jason Hanna, Travis Caldwell, Amanda Watts and Shimon Prokupecz.
