The parents of an Austin doctor spoke on Wednesday night after his son killed another doctor and turned the gun on himself after being held hostage at a Texas hospital on Tuesday night.
“We don’t understand our son’s motives or actions, but we feel that this time is better spent remembering Dr. Dodson and her contributions to this world,” wrote Dr. Bharat Narumanchi’s family in a statement to CBS Austin.
The 43-year-old doctor broke 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 and suicide, police said.
“We, parents of Dr. Bharat Kumar Narumanchi, wish to extend our most sincere condolences and most fervent prayers to Dr. Lindley Dodson’s family, friends and colleagues,” the Narumanchi family wrote in the statement.
The parents said they are cooperating with the investigators.
“We share your pain for such a shortened meaningless life,” they said.
Narumanchi, who had terminal cancer, had an office in California.
He applied for a volunteer position at 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, reported the Austin American-Statesman.
“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 in the darkness of this moment,” said the Narumanchi family in the statement.