(Newswire.net— July 21, 2018) — HOUSTON – Mark Hausknecht, 65, a cardiologist who treated former President George H.W. Bush was assassinated on Friday morning near the Texas Medical Center.
According to the Houston police, Hausknecht was shot and killed while riding a bicycle around 9 a.m. Friday near the Texas Children’s Hospital. Reportedly, the assassin who was also riding a bicycle closed up on the doctor and fired two shots from a gun.
Hausknecht, a cardiologist who was a member of the Houston Methodist staff and the DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, died of his wounds later the same day.
According to the authorities, the shooter was also riding a bicycle wearing a gray jacket, khaki shorts and a tan baseball cap.
“The suspect was on a bicycle as well. Rode past the doctor, turned and fired two shots,” Houston Police Executive Assistant Chief Troy Finner said, adding that the ill-fated doctor immediately went down.
Hausknecht was conscious on the ground when the ambulance arrived. Reportedly, the ambulance car was passing by when they noticed a man laying down near his bike. “I saw somebody flagging us down and I said, ‘you know, something’s wrong,” said the EMT, who asked not to be named.
“We stopped, rendered aid to the best of our ability. We’re limited when we have a patient loaded, we can’t act as a normal ambulance at that point in time. We can pretty much just give first aid,” said the paramedic who jumped out to perform CPR and monitor the doctor’s vital signs.
The doctor, who had treated the former president George H.W. Bush for heart arrhythmia, was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, where he later died.
On Friday, former US President George Bush expressed his condolences to Hausknecht’s family.
“Mark was a fantastic cardiologist and a good man,” Bush said. “I will always be grateful for his exceptional, compassionate care. His family is in our prayers.”
The way Hausknecht was killed implies that it was premeditated murder by a man who knew the doctor’s routine. The police are continuing the investigation.