2 dentists killed in office shooting in Texas

TYLER, Texas (KLTV/Gray News) - Both dentists shot in a Texas clinic have died, a sheriff’s office spokesman said Thursday.

The suspect, Steven Alexander Smith, 40, is charged with capital murder, according to Smith County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Larry Christian. He is held on a total of $3 million bond, KLTV reported.

The sheriff’s office says the victims are Dr. Blake G. Sinclair, 59, of Tyler, and Dr. Jack E. Burroughs, 75, of Tyler.

At approximately 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, the sheriff’s office received a 911 call for a shooting at Affordable Dentures & Implants. Deputies said they found two male victims inside the business suffering from gunshot wounds.

The initial investigation revealed Smith was a patient at the clinic. Investigators said he became angry at clinic staff and went to his pickup truck in the parking lot.

He then returned and entered into the lobby area where he was met by clinic personnel. Smith had a handgun and ultimately shot two doctors on staff inside the business, according to the sheriff’s office.

Both victims were taken to a Tyler hospital, but they succumbed to their injuries.

Smith was later arrested at a home in south Tyler.

Steven Smith is also charged with aggravated assault. That charge stems from the suspect allegedly pointing the gun at a nurse, who pleaded with him, saying she had children.

Sheriff Larry Smith said a quick-thinking employee of the Dental Care Center took a photo of the suspect’s license plate, which was given to a first-arriving deputy. The deputy sent that information along to dispatch. Dispatch then were able to track down an address.

A deputy arrived just as the suspect was arriving at the home in south Tyler, the sheriff said.

Negotiators managed to convince the suspect’s parents to come out of the house. Then they convinced the suspect to come out a few minutes later.

Authorities found two handguns in the house, which were the same caliber as the gun used in the shooting, Sheriff Smith said. Multiple shell casings were recovered from the floor of the dental facility.

The sheriff said both doctors were found inside the right doorway, about 15 feet or so inside. The sheriff also said he believes the two doctors were the intended targets.

The sheriff said a deputy did CPR on one of the doctors for five minutes before the ambulance arrived.

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