Beloved pediatrician slain by fellow doctor in Austin standoff
AUSTIN, Texas —A beloved Austin pediatrician was slain Tuesday by another doctor who police say had entered her office around closing time and held her hostage before killing her and himself.
Austin police on Wednesday confirmed that Dr. Lindley Dodson, a pediatrician with Children’s Medical Group in Central Austin, was killed after she and other employees in the office were held captive by pediatrician Bharat Narumanchi.
Officers responded to Children’s Medical Group around 4:30 p.m. after reports of a man armed with a gun at the business who had hostages inside.
By the time officers arrived, four hostages had escaped or were allowed to leave with the exception of Dodson, police said Wednesday.
Hostages who escaped the building told police that Narumanchi was the intruder and they connected him to Dodson through a visit he made to the office a week earlier to apply for a volunteer position.
Police also learned that Narumanchi, who was turned down for the job, was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer and was given weeks to live. Online employment records show he was a pediatrician who practiced primarily in California.
In addition to a pistol and what appeared to be a shotgun, witnesses told police Narumanchi entered the office with two duffel bags. He forced hostages to tie themselves up, police said.
Austin police sent SWAT officers to the scene, where they tried to contact Narumanchi but did not get a response.