Parents of suspect held hostage in Texas hospital speak out

Parents of an Austin doctor spoke out Wednesday night after their son killed another doctor, then turned the gun around after a hostage-taking at a Texas hospital on Tuesday night.

“We don’t understand our son’s motives or actions, but believe this time is better spent remembering Dr Dodson and his contributions to this world,” Dr Bharat Narumanchi’s family wrote in a statement to CBS. Austin.

The 43-year-old doctor had broken into the Children’s Medical Group in downtown Austin armed with a gun. He took hostages and killed Dr Katherine Lindley Dodson, 43, in a murder-suicide, police said.

“We, the parents of Dr Bharat Kumar Narumanchi, wish to extend our deepest condolences and fervent prayers to the family, friends and colleagues of Dr Lindley Dodson,” Narumanchi’s family wrote in the statement.

The parents said they were cooperating with investigators.

“We share your grief for such an insanely shortened life,” they said.

Narumanchi, who had terminal cancer, had a practice in California.

He applied for a volunteer position with Children’s Medical Group in the past two weeks, but was turned down, police said.

Dodson has established a successful pediatric practice in the city, Austin American-Statesman reported.

“The consequences of this action will live with us forever and we can only hope that faith, spiritual healing and the light of God will guide us through the darkness of this moment,” Narumanchi’s family said in the statement. .