Rancho Mirage shooting: Dr. David Duffner slain by Walter Carter, sheriff says

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Dr. David Duffner, a longtime orthopedic surgeon, was killed in Friday's shootings at a Rancho Mirage medical plaza, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department confirmed Saturday.

Authorities said 63-year-old Walter Carter of Desert Hot Springs entered Duffner's office around 9:30 a.m. and shot the physician multiple times. Carter then fatally shot himself, officials said.

No one else was injured in the shooting. Police did not release details regarding a motive.

A representative reached via Duffner's practice’s Facebook page on Friday said the staff was “beyond devastated” and declined further comment.

Duffner, a 67-year-old Palm Springs resident, had built up a reputation as a respected practitioner. He'd been in practice for more than 30 years, most recently running Orthopedic & Physical Medicine Associates. The office is in the Mirage Mall strip mall in the 71-500 block of Highway 111, which houses multiple medical practices.

Palm Springs City Councilmember Christy Holstege said Duffner was not only a close family friend but a renowned doctor and highly skilled surgeon.

“This is a devastating loss for our community and the thousands of patients he has served over his career in the Coachella Valley,” she said. “He will be missed and our thoughts go out to his family and loved ones."

Duffner was a licensed orthopedic surgeon who received his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and studied at Tulane University.

In the mid-1980s, he was elected secretary of the newly formed American College of Spinal Surgeons, which would combine with another group of surgeons to form the North American Spine Society.

After he moved to the desert, he was a longtime fixture of the medical community. He had served as chief of surgery at Desert Regional Medical Center, as well as chairman of bioethics. He had been named to Palm Springs Life’s Top Docs list multiple times — most recently in 2018 for spinal surgery and joint replacements.

Michele Finney, CEO of the Desert Care Network, which runs Desert Regional, said Saturday: "We mourn the tragic passing of Dr. David Duffner, a long-time leader and member of the Medical Staff at Desert Regional Medical Center. Dr. Duffner was a friend to many in the Coachella Valley and will be deeply missed by those of us who knew and worked with him over the years."

In 2016, while working at Desert Regional Medical Center and Eisenhower Health, he made an unsuccessful run for a spot on the board of the Desert Healthcare District.

He advocated for boosting the quality of care by getting more input from physicians and putting more pressure on the hospital’s owner, Tenet Healthcare, for infrastructure upgrades at Desert Regional Medical Center, as well as offering more educational programs.

At his Rancho Mirage office, Duffner ran the practice and worked alongside nurse practitioner Patricia Ryan and physiatrist David Wilgarde, according to the practice’s website. They provide a variety of services, from orthopedic care to regenerative medicine like stem cell injections used to treat pain and arthritis.

“We believe in an integrative, whole body, and holistic approach that ensures every patient optimal outcomes, regardless of the challenges,” reads a description of the practice.

At the time of his death, Duffner was facing a medical malpractice suit brought by a patient, Lewis Adams, who alleged that the doctor had erred during a surgery, compromising nerves and leaving Adams reliant on a catheter.

Adams said he was shocked to learn of Duffner's death, having just been in court with him on Thursday.

During a break in the trial in Palm Springs, Adams said, he had run into Duffner in the men's restroom of the courthouse.

"We shook hands, and I told him it was just business," Adams said in an interview with The Desert Sun. "I didn't want him to think I hated him. Doctors are human. He told me I was always welcome in his office." Adams and Duffner shared Texas roots, which gave them a common bond, Adams said.

"I'm still shook up," said Adams, who learned of Duffner's death from his attorney. "I thought my lawyer was making it up. I can't imagine anyone wanting to kill the man."

"Dr. Duffner was well-liked," said Adams, 72. "I even liked him."

Desert Sun staff writers Julie Makinen, Kristin Scharkey and Melissa Daniels contributed to this report.