Indian-origin paediatrician kills doctor, self

HOUSTON: A 43-year-old Indianorigin paediatrician recently diagnosed with terminal cancer stormed into a medical facility, took five people hostage and shot dead another paediatrician before turning the gun on himself in the Texas capital of Austin on Tuesday, police said.

The armed man was identified as Dr Bharat Narumanchi, police said, adding that he was recently turned down for the position of a volunteer at the medical facility.

Police received a call at 4:30pm on Tuesday, saying a man walked into the offices of Children’s Medical Group (CMG) with a gun, and held hostages inside the building, CNN reported, citing the Austin Police Department. “He displayed a gun and told the hostages to tie themselves up,” Austin Police lieutenant Jeff Greenwalt said, according to US media reports.

Four of the five hostages — all employees at the facility — managed to escape, except Katherine Dodson, also a 43-year-old paediatrician.

The hostages who escaped told officers at the scene that the man was armed with a pistol in what appeared to be a shotgun, police said. He was also carrying two duffel bags.

Dr Narumanchi had visited the CMG office a week before and applied for a position. Other than his recent visit to the office, there did not appear to be any relationship or other contact between Dr Narumanchi and Dr Dodson, police said.

He was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer and had been told that had just weeks to live, Greenwalt told reporters on Wednesday. “So we feel like his terminal cancer probably played a large part in whatever it was that occurred in his life and what was happening,” he said, according to US media reports.

But for now, Greenwalt said, investigators are on the lookout for more information.