MYSTERIOUS

George H. W. Bush’s Former Doctor Gunned Down by Bicyclist

The former president offers his condolences as police investigate whether the killing was random or a targeted attack.

A cardiologist well-known for treating former President George H.W. Bush was fatally shot by a bicyclist near a Houston medical complex on Friday. Houston police are now trying to determine whether the attack on Dr. Mark Hausknecht, who was killed while riding his bike to work, was random or a targeted act. “The suspect was on a bicycle as well. Rode past the doctor, turned and fired two shots. The doctor immediately went down,” Houston Police Executive Assistant Chief Troy Finner said. Hausknecht, 65, was taken to a hospital after the incident but succumbed to his injuries. He treated Bush in 2000 for an irregular heartbeat and appeared alongside the then-president at a news conference to announce treatment at the time. Bush issued a statement late Friday offering his condolences to Hausknecht’s family. “Mark was a fantastic cardiologist and a good man,” he said. “I will always be grateful for his exceptional, compassionate care.”