TX - Dr. Mark Hausknecht, 65, Physician to GHW Bush killed in bicycle drive-by shooting, Houston

[knla]

Doctor who treated former President George H.W. Bush likely targeted, police say - CNN
Houston police chief says Dr. Hausknecht likely targeted.

 

[clearskies1]

It's all very strange. I would not think a hit man would use a bike in broad daylight to shoot the victim.

 

[1&2&3]

Did witnesses give the description of the sketch we have seen? This is one time I question how accurate a witness can be identifying a person on a moving bicycle, sunglasses on, and the hat shown on the bus cam which pretty much shades his facial features.

I don’t think the suspect will look anything like this sketch. JMO.

 

[mooliz]

It's all very strange. I would not think a hit man would use a bike in broad daylight to shoot the victim.

Incredibly brazen. I know the area very well and it's shocking to me that the suspect was able to pedal away--he also had to cross BACK over Main Street following the shooting, and that's a busy street. In the final photo shared by the HPD, after the shooting, it shows him pedaling down Southgate. There's a woman on the northwest corner of Southgate and Main and she doesn't look fazed in the least--must have been a silencer on the gun or she'd have been close enough to have heard the shots and wouldn't have be standing there waiting for a walk signal. The whole thing is so bizarre.

 

[jjenny]

It's all very strange. I would not think a hit man would use a bike in broad daylight to shoot the victim.

Targeted doesn't mean professional hit man. Just means it's somebody who specifically wanted doctor dead, as opposed to some random killer.

 

[CocoChanel]

So my working theory now looks like this:
- foreign faction
- well-to-do patient/family that could afford/had connections to seek treatment in the US from a renowned physician
- probably sought treatment under a false name
- had no qualms about eliminating MH for some affront
- had the means and connections to hire someone to do just that
- affront could be a bad outcome of the treatment or threat of exposing true identity of patient, especially if that patient is involved in criminal enterprises, i.e. drug cartel

All my hope that this will be solved in the public eye is fading fast.
Houston knows how to forget outrageous murders like this as evidenced by the case of Dr. Fred Conrad, Drector of Patient Care at esteemed MD ANDERSON Cancer Center in the Med Center. Dr. Conrad was shot 8 times and killed in his office at that hospital in 1982, and his killer has never been caught. There is not much online about that case. It’s as if it never happened. Something bigger than us and darker than night is at the root of that puzzling murder. This is starting to feel like that.

 

[1&2&3]

The black “thing” on his left hand, could that be a bike glove to steady his grip on the bike when he removes his right hand from the bike to turn and fire his gun?

 

[jjenny]

Did witnesses give the description of the sketch we have seen? This is one time I question how accurate a witness can be identifying a person on a moving bicycle, sunglasses on, and the hat shown on the bus cam which pretty much shades his facial features.

I don’t think the suspect will look anything like this sketch. JMO.

Yes, I am pretty sure it's from a witness. I don't think any video images found so far are good enough for close up of the face. I also don't think it's accurate and could very well be misleading in this case.

 

[jjenny]

The black “thing” on his left hand, could that be a bike glove to steady his grip on the bike when he removes his right hand from the bike to turn and fire his gun?

Could be a glove or maybe a wrist protector?

 

[1&2&3]

The office staff is pretty aware of what goes on in and around the office.

If a patient has a problem or complaint that is above average, there should be several people in the office aware of it. This didn’t happen out of the clear blue sky. IMO.

Now to go read the site y’all were talking about.

 

[meanmaryjean]

I doubt very much this has anything at all to do with his professional life. MOO

 

[clearskies1]

Targeted doesn't mean professional hit man. Just means it's somebody who specifically wanted doctor dead, as opposed to some random killer.

Yes, I realize that. My post was geared to other posters who seemed to think it was a professional hit. I was not addressing the "targeted" LE announcement.

 

[Gooddeeds]

I doubt very much this has anything at all to do with his professional life. MOO

I’m curious about your doubt? I’m sure you have seen a lot that many outside of the surrounding industry rarely see.

 

[Deleted member 192280]

So my working theory now looks like this:
- foreign faction
- affront could be a bad outcome of the treatment or threat of exposing true identity of patient, especially if that patient is involved in criminal enterprises, i.e. drug cartel

What makes you think it involves foreign faction?
Also, if he treated someone involved in criminal/drug cartel or whatever, then wouldn't his assistants/nurses be also aware and targeted? Doctors usually has some assistant around during patient visit/surgery.

 

[Deleted member 192280]

Why did the killer ride past the victim a good distance, then turn around and shoot at him from the opposite side? Some possible reasons: riding further before turning around in order to observe the surroundings; shooting from the front after taking a good look at the victim's face, either to make sure it was not the wrong person (though it's likely the killer had followed the victim around previously and was familiar with his yellow bike and his appearance/posture enough not to need such confirmation) or out of extreme personal vendetta. Another possibility, if the killer was determined to shoot at the victim's head to ensure fatal result (I feel sorry for such a speculation), as we see in the picture Dr. H had a hunched posture on the bike so it would be hard for the killer to target at his head from the back .

 

[Tripod]

The black “thing” on his left hand, could that be a bike glove to steady his grip on the bike when he removes his right hand from the bike to turn and fire his gun?

It's possible. That dark "thing", however, made me wonder if the shooter is left-handed. If the shooting happened shortly after that photo and he hadn't decided exactly at what point he was going to shoot the doctor, I supposed he could have had the gun in his hand. I do think, however, he definitely had his escape route very well-planned, so.... dunno.

 

[Tripod]

delete

 

[Tripod]

Why did the killer ride past the victim a good distance, then turn around and shoot at him from the opposite side? Some possible reasons: riding further before turning around in order to observe the surroundings; shooting from the front after taking a good look at the victim's face, either to make sure it was not the wrong person (though it's likely the killer had followed the victim around previously and was familiar with his yellow bike and his appearance/posture enough not to need such confirmation) or out of extreme personal vendetta. Another possibility, if the killer was determined to shoot at the victim's head to endure fatal result (I feel sorry for such a speculation), as we see in the picture Dr. H had a hunched posture on the bike so it would be hard for the killer to target at his head from the back .

Good post, except I'm not sure what you mean by shooting at him "from the opposite side?" Some have speculated he passed the dr. and shot from the front because this was a really personal attack. Could also be to give the shooter a clearer route for escape because when the doctor and his bike fell, the shooter had no idea just HOW he would fall and that might block or slow down his escape.

 

[Deleted member 192280]

Good post, except I'm not sure what you mean by shooting at him "from the opposite side?".

Reports say the killer turned around and fired shots from the opposite side of the street (as in a two-way street).

 

[Tbone144]

Good post, except I'm not sure what you mean by shooting at him "from the opposite side?" Some have speculated he passed the dr. and shot from the front because this was a really personal attack. Could also be to give the shooter a clearer route for escape because when the doctor and his bike fell, the shooter had no idea just HOW he would fall and that might block or slow down his escape.

I agree, spinning around to get away may have drawn more attention than continuing forward.

My husband and I have discussed at length the monster backpack. He thinks it was used to conceal the weapon in some way shape or form. Over, under or through so that no one around actually noticed the gun. We discussed shooting the weapon through the backpack with a pre designated hole that with enough practice would allow someone to be fairly proficient. A small hole and a magnatized gromit of the correct bore size would let you slide your hand in quickly position the gun and fire and if a semi-automatic the casings would be ejected inside the backpack. All conjecture but he thinks it would take about 10 seconds to get three accurate rounds off and no one would be the wiser because it’s hidden. Personally I can’t imagine adrenaline not interfering with it but I think that’s why he fired 3 shots (or possibly two from reading). I think a true hit man would take him out from a distance in a single shot but maybe I’ve watched too many Hollywood movies. This feels a little sloppy more amateur with a grudge than pro, but who knows, maybe pros are this sloppy. I really have no idea.