Baton Rouge native, LSU grad killed by fellow doctor in hostage situation in Texas

Updated: Jan. 27, 2021 at 12:08 PM CST
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AUSTIN, Texas (WAFB) - Authorities say a doctor, who is originally from Baton Rouge, has been identified as the victim of a hostage situation in Texas.

The situation unfolded late Tuesday, Jan. 26 at a medical complex in Austin, Texas, police say.

A SWAT team found two bodies in the medical complex late Tuesday after negotiators spent hours trying to speak to the people inside the building, according to a report from the Associated Press.

Dr. Katherine Lindley Spaht Dodson, 43, was identified by police during a news conference Wednesday, Jan. 27 as the only victim who died during the hostage situation.

The victim’s mother, Katherine Spaht, is a retired LSU law professor. Her father, Paul Spaht, is a Baton Rouge attorney.

According to police, a 911 caller reported that Dr. Bharat Narumanchi, 43, entered the office with a gun and was holding hostages inside the Children’s Medical Group building around 4:30 Tuesday afternoon.

Officers learned there were several hostages in the building, and some were able to escape, Austin television station KEYE reported. However, police learned that Narumanchi, had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, was still holding Dodson hostage, the station reported.

Hostages that escaped reported to officers that Narumanchi, a pediatrician himself, had been to this office a week ago and applied for a volunteer position.

They also reported he was armed with a pistol and what appeared to be a shotgun and had two duffel bags when he entered the building Tuesday.

Dodson completed her undergraduate degree in chemistry at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va., where she graduated magna cum laude, her LinkedIn profile says. She attended medical school at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans.

LSU Interim President Tom Galligan issued a statement Wednesday on Dodson’s death.

“We are shocked at the tragic loss of Lindley, and our hearts go out to Katherine, Paul, Drew, and the entire family. Words fail us but we offer our good thoughts, sympathy, and prayers to our friends and colleague,” Galligan said.

Statement from the family of Dr. Lindley Dodson:

She joined the Children’s Medical Group as a pediatrician in 2017 and was named as one of the top pediatricians in Texas by Texas Super Doctors in 2019.

WAFB has learned that Dr. Dodson is survived by her husband, her two daughters, and her son.

This is a developing news story. WAFB will update this story when more information is available.

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