Hospital shooter was mentally ill, police say

Published 9:57 pm Tuesday, April 20, 2010

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A mentally ill convenience store operator took a revolver with him to look for the doctor he believed implanted a tracking device in his body during an appendectomy in 2001. Told the doctor wasn’t at the hospital, he went to a nearby parking lot and opened fire on three hospital workers he apparently didn’t know, killing one of them.

Gunman Abdo Ibssa entered a medical tower near Parkwest Medical Center before Monday’s attack and asked for the doctor who performed the appendectomy, Knoxville Police Chief Sterling Owen IV said. Unable to find the doctor, Ibssa went to another area where patients are discharged and opened fire on the women as they walked out of the building.

Ibssa, who police believe had been skipping doses of medication for psychotic behavior, killed himself to end the shooting, which occurred a day before his 39th birthday.

Investigators found a note at Ibssa’s Knoxville apartment in which the gunman said the doctor had implanted a chip that was being used to track his movements, Owen said.

Ibssa had a successful appendectomy at Premier Surgical Associates in November 2001 and suffered no complications, according to a statement from CEO Kevin Burris