UPDATE: 6:53 p.m. EDT— The Houston Police Department identified the shooting victim as 65-year-old Dr. Mark Hausknecht. Detectives also asked residents who live near Southgate Boulevard at Travis Street to check footage from their surveillance cameras and contact the police department if they see the suspect. The suspect was wearing a tan baseball cap, sunglasses, a gray warmup jacket, and khaki shorts at the time of the shooting. Original Story: Houston Police Officer Troy Finner said in a press conference that both the doctor, whose name has not been released, and the suspect were riding bicycles. When the suspect rode past the doctor, he turned around and fired two shots. Finner expressed his hope that the medical center's security cameras captured the suspect, described as a Hispanic male between the ages of 20 and 30, on film, so they can bring him into custody. Newsweek reached out to the Houston Police Department but did not receive a response in time for publication. The motive for the shooting is unknown and Finner said during the press conference that it's unclear if the doctor was a random victim. When asked by a reporter about the odd location of the shooting, which occurred in an area that the reporter claimed is not known for being violent, Finner said anything can happen in a city. "We want citizens to know that we have to look out for one another. It's a violent society. We have great citizens in our city and we want to say that our city is overall generally safe but any big city crime can happen at any time," he said. "The most important thing is that we gotta watch out for each other. If you see something, say something." Police are questioning witnesses to determine what occurred. Finner said that at almost 9 a.m. CT, when the shooting took place, someone saw something and implored that person to share what they saw with the police department. The doctor's name has yet to be released and the Houston Police Department is currently searching for the suspect, who fled on a bicycle. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.<doc-sep>A Houston doctor who was riding his bicycle to work in the Texas Medical Center on Friday morning was gunned down by another cyclist who passed him, turned and fired two shots, and then rode off. The fatal shooting of Dr. Mark Hausknecht, a cardiologist who once treated former President George H.W. Bush, stunned the city's tight-knit medical community and left investigators trying to determine whether the daylight shooting was random or targeted. A spokesman for Bush said the former president was saddened by Hausknecht's death and sent his condolences to the doctor's family, his colleagues at Houston Methodist hospital and his friends. "Mark was a fantastic cardiologist and a good man," Bush said in a statement. "I will always be grateful for his exceptional, compassionate care. His family is in our prayers." Hausknecht, 65, was shot around 8:50 a.m. in the 6600 block of Main Street. He died at Ben Taub Hospital. The doctor was traveling northbound on Main Street at the intersection with Holcombe Boulevard when the gunman passed him, Houston police said. Two blocks later, the gunman turned around on his mountain bike and fired at least two shots at Hausknecht, who immediately went down, as the shooter kept riding north. The suspect remained at large Friday evening, police said. He was described as a clean-shaven white or Hispanic male, about 30 years old, who was wearing a gray warmup jacket, khaki shorts, a tan baseball cap and sunglasses. Police said he is about 5 feet 10 inches tall with a slender build. Homicide detectives were reviewing surveillance video from businesses in the area to find video of the gunman. "There are a lot of cameras, so we're hoping we can get some footage of this and bring this violent criminal into custody, where he needs to be right away," said Executive Assistant Chief Troy Finner of the Houston Police Department. The slaying stunned colleagues in the medical center, where Hausknecht had admitting privileges at Houston Methodist and Memorial Hermann hospitals. Dr. Marc Boom, president of Methodist, delivered the news to hospital employees in an email early Friday afternoon. He wrote that Hausknecht's patients "appreciated his kind bedside manner and the extra time he took to answer their questions and fully explain their condition and treatment." "We will all miss seeing Mark in the hallways and seeing patients in the cath lab and (coronary care unit), where he was known as a compassionate physician with a phenomenal bedside manner," wrote Boom. "Our employees who worked with him said patients were so proud to call him their doctor." Hausknecht received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in 1980 and did his residency and fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. In 2000, he appeared at a news conference at Methodist with Bush after the 41st president was treated for an irregular heartbeat. He had been transferred from a Florida hospital. Memorial Hermann also issued a statement, which said Hausknecht was "a talented, compassionate physician who provided excellent care to our patients, and he was a cherished friend to so many within the close-knit medical community that is the Texas Medical Center. During this difficult time, our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Dr. Hausknecht's loved ones, his patients and his colleagues." Hausknecht, a leader with Houston Cardiovascular Associates, had been in practice in Houston since 1987. He was an interventional cardiologist, a specialty that treats cardiovascular disease and congenital and structural heart conditions through catheter-based procedures, such as angioplasty and stenting. Dr. Neal Kleiman, who worked closely with Hausknecht as medical director of the cath lab at the DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center at Methodist, said colleagues at Methodist were in shock Friday. He called the act "devastating, such a random act of violence taking away someone you know and love." He said he couldn't imagine anyone carrying a grudge against Hausknecht. "He was quiet, thoughtful, gentle," said Kleiman. "I shared patients with him, and they all loved and admired him." Hausknecht biked to work every day, said Kleiman. He said Hausknecht took exceptional care of himself and found biking to work relaxing. At a street removed from the shooting, nurses and doctors in scrubs and white coats walked, biked and hopped off the rail to get to work on Fannin Street, a reminder of how populated the area is with foot traffic. Miguel Fraire, who does contract work at the medical center, said that an illusion of safety might exist in the area. "Do I think it's safe around here?" asked Fraire. "I think for the most part. But you'd be surprised." A spokesperson for the Texas Medical Center declined to answer questions about the center's security accommodations, saying they were not the best source to answer them. Homicide detectives asked residents near Southgate Boulevard at Travis Street to check surveillance cameras for the period between 8:40 a.m. and 9 a.m. Friday and to contact HPD Homicide if they saw the suspect. The suspected gunman was last seen on a light-colored mountain bicycle traveling west on Southgate Boulevard. Reports of the shooting prompted a brief shelter-in-place order at the BioScience Research Collaborative at Rice University early Friday. The news was just starting to hit employees at Houston Methodist in the early afternoon. Panetta Grice, a patient care assistant at the hospital, said that while the Texas Medical Center area appears to be safe, the shooting is an unfortunate reminder of how important it is to be mindful of your surroundings, no matter where you are. "I haven't digested it," Grice said. "Who would dream you'd have to go through something like that? It's just too hard to take." Victoria Cheyne contributed to this report. samantha.ketterer@chron.com todd.ackerman@chron.com twitter.com/chronmed<doc-sep>A security alert sent to employees indicated the suspect was a white or Hispanic man wearing a dark jacket with a black ball cap and riding a blue mountain bike. HOUSTON – Houston Methodist Hospital identified the doctor shot and killed Friday morning while riding a bike in the Texas Medical Center as Dr. Mark Hausknecht. Dr. Hausknecht was shot by another man on a bike around 9 a.m. Friday in the 6600 block of Main Street near Texas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Hausknecht was a cardiologist who was an important member of the Houston Methodist staff and the DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, the hospital said. The doctor specialized in cardiovascular disease and had been in practice for almost four decades. Jim McGrath, the spokesman for the family of President George H.W. Bush, said Dr. Hausknecht treated President Bush for heart arrhythmia in 2000. President Bush expressed his condolences to Dr. Hausknecht's family on Friday: "Mark was a fantastic cardiologist and a good man," President Bush said. "I will always be grateful for his exceptional, compassionate care. His family is in our prayers." Statement by President @GeorgeHWBush on the tragic death of Houston cardiologist Dr. Mark Hausknecht. pic.twitter.com/Wl0g6IK3c5 — Jim McGrath (@jgm41) July 20, 2018 Police are still looking for the suspect in the shooting who fled the scene on a bicycle. At the time of the shooting, witnesses told KHOU 11 a man wearing scrubs was riding his bike when he was shot by another cyclist. Dr. Hausknecht flagged down a passing ambulance for help as the shooter fled the scene. He was taken to Ben Taub Hospital where he later died. Our homicide detectives are on scene of a fatal shooting at 6600 Main St. Prelim info is an adult male was shot by a male (suspect) who left the area on a bicycle about 8:50 am. Victim was pronounced deceased at Ben Taub General Hospital. No other info. PIO is en route. #hounews — Houston Police (@houstonpolice) July 20, 2018 A security alert sent to Medical Center employees indicated the suspect was a white or Hispanic man wearing a dark jacket with a black ball cap and riding a blue mountain bike. UT Officers and HPD are checking the area for the suspect. Friday morning, the roadway remained partially blocked with heavy police presence and an active investigation. Police were looking over the victim's yellow bicycle on the sidewalk.<doc-sep>EMBED >More News Videos A medical professional was shot to death by a gunman in the Medical Center, police say. HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston Police say it was just before 9 a.m. Friday, during rush hour in the Texas Medical Center, when 65-year-old Dr. Mark Hausknecht was shot and killed while riding his bicycle to work.A private ambulance passing by pulled over to help. "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 men said they did what they could, but tell us Hausknecht was not conscious.They describe the scene at 6600 Main Street as oddly calm with few people who realized what happened.They say several witnesses were on the phone with 911, and one man was on the ground comforting the doctor's head.The EMT and paramedic stayed with the doctor until Houston firefighters arrived on scene to take over.The news of the shooting sent shockwaves through Houston's medical community with many people telling Eyewitness News that Hausknecht was renowned, beloved and skilled.With nearly 40 years of experience, he saw thousands of Houstonians and even treated high profile patients like former President George H. W. Bush.He helped found Houston Cardiovascular Associates and worked both at Methodist Hospital and Memorial Hermann Hospital.The three organizations sent their condolences through statements to Eyewitness News calling Dr. Hausknecht a "leader", "a compassionate physician", "a cherished friend" and "wonderful human being. "On the sidewalks, he was known as the pedaling physician. "I saw him almost every day, driving on his bike," said Erick Estrada, a valet in the Texas Medical Center. "I'll have my headphones on passing by and he'll like give me a heads up every time he would pass by, because he's hauling through you know," said another worker.Police are still searching for the shooter, who they say was also on a bicycle.Investigators believe the gunman was following behind the doctor for two blocks before shooting him.The suspect is described by police as a man about 30 years-old, light skinned possibly white or Hispanic, clean shaven with a slim frame.They believe he was wearing a tan cap, sunglasses and khaki shorts.If you have any information regarding this crime, call Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS. You can also submit your anonymous tip online at<doc-sep>
Dr. Mark Hausknecht had been practicing medicine for almost four decades and once treated former President George H. W. Bush. A veteran Houston cardiologist was killed Friday morning in the Texas Medical Center. The Houston Police Department (HPD) detailed on its Twitter feed that a male suspect shot Mark Hausknecht, a cardiologist who worked at Houston Cardiovascular Associates and was also professionally affiliated with Houston Methodist, around 8:50 a.m. at the 6600 block of Main Street. The suspect fled the scene riding a bicycle. Our homicide detectives are on scene of a fatal shooting at 6600 Main St. Prelim info is an adult male was shot by a male (suspect) who left the area on a bicycle about 8:50 am. Victim was pronounced deceased at Ben Taub General Hospital. No other info. PIO is en route. #hounews — Houston Police (@houstonpolice) July 20, 2018 Houston Methodist said in a statement that Hausknecht had been practicing medicine for almost four decades. He once treated former President George H.W. Bush for an irregular heartbeat. Bush released a statement via Twitter describing Hausknecht as a “a fantastic cardiologist and a good man.” “I will always be grateful for his exceptional, compassionate care. His family is in our prayers,” added the former President. HPD Executive Assistant Chief Troy Finner reported that Hausknecht was riding north bound on a bicycle in Main Street. Finner explained that, according to the preliminary investigation, the suspect was also riding a bicycle “drove past the doctor, turned and fired two shots.” “The doctor immediately went down,” Chief Finner added. The suspect is believed to a Hispanic male between 20 ad 30 years-old. He was wearing a dark shirt and dark pants, and he was riding a dark color bike. Hausknecht was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. HPD investigators are looking for the suspect and say there could be some witnesses of the shooting. They hope footage recorded by the cameras located in the Medical Center area will help with the investigation. HPD is asking anybody with information to contact its Homicide Division at 713-308-3600. You can watch a briefing provided by Chief Finner here: Subscribe to Today in Houston Fill out the form below to subscribe our new daily editorial newsletter from the HPM Newsroom. Email* First Name Last Name * required