A man who shot five members of staff at a Minnesota health clinic this week shot two of them in the reception area before returning to where patients are being treated and shot three others, including a medical assistant and mother of two who died from her injuries, authorities say in criminal charges released Thursday have been submitted.
Wright County Jail
Gregory Paul Ulrich67, also reportedly fired two explosives during Tuesday’s attack on an Allina clinic in Buffalo, a city of about 15,000 people about 40 miles northwest of Minneapolis. He was charged Thursday on one count of second-degree murder, four attempted first degree murder, one count of possession of an explosive device and one count of carrying a gun without a license.
During a brief video hearing Thursday, the judge ordered Ulrich on bail of $ 10 million, or $ 5 million if he agreed to certain terms. Ulrich, who was present from prison, spoke only to tell the judge how to pronounce his name.
According to the charges, staff asked if they could help him when Ulrich entered the clinic. In response, he pulled out a 9mm pistol and threatened them before opening fire, shooting one staff member in the back and another in the abdomen. He then entered the interior of the clinic and continued to shoot victims, shooting a third person twice in the thigh while that person attempted to flee and a fourth person six times, including in the chest, abdomen, and back.
WCCO
His fifth victim, who died of her injuries, was shot once in the abdomen and the bullet passed through her liver and spine before exiting her back, according to the charges. Allina identified her as Lindsay Overbay, a 37-year-old medical assistant who, according to family and friends, had two young children.
Three of the victims remained in hospital on Wednesday, one in critical condition, one in fair condition and the other in good working order. The fourth surviving victim was fired hours after the attack.
During the attack, Ulrich detonated two improvised explosives – one at the entrance of the clinic and the other at a desk in the clinic’s interior. When the attack was over, Ulrich called the emergency number and said he would surrender if agents pulled out, according to the charges. Officers entered the clinic with a police car as a shield and found Ulrich lying in the hall with his arms outstretched.
He was carrying several rounds of ammunition when he was arrested, including two loaded 9mm magazines, one with 13 rounds of ammunition and the other with seven. He also had 29 extra ammunition in a plastic bag. Authorities also searched a mobile home where Ulrich lived and found gunpowder similar to the material used in the improvised explosives detonated at the clinic. They found an empty box of 9mm ammunition in a nearby motel where he was staying.
A preliminary investigation of Ulrich’s cellphone revealed a rippling video he made that hinted at an incident at the clinic, the allegations said. Buffalo’s police chief, Pat Budke, said on Tuesday that Ulrich had a long history of conflict with medical clinics in the area and was unhappy with the care he received.
According to a previous police report, Ulrich threatened to commit a mass shooting at the clinic on October 13, 2018, with a doctor telling investigators that Ulrich had talked about “shooting, blowing things up and practicing different scenarios for revenge.” The doctor said Ulrich told him that he dreamed of exacting revenge on the people who “tortured” him, referring to problems he had with back surgery and the medications he was prescribed.