Murder and other charges were filed Thursday against the suspect in a shooting at a Minnesota health clinic that left one employee dead and four others injured.
Gregory Paul Ulrich, 67, was charged with second-degree murder, four counts of first-degree attempted murder, possession of an explosive device and carrying a firearm without a license in connection with Tuesday’s deadly shooting at the Allina Health Clinic in Buffalo, the Wright County Attorney’s Office said.
During Ulrich’s first court appearance Thursday, Judge Michele Davis granted the prosecution’s request for a $10 million unconditional bail and a lower bail of $5 million with conditions. Under the conditions of the bail, Ulrich cannot leave the state of Minnesota, engage in assault or disorderly contact, use any firearms or make contact with any Allina Health medical facility.
Ulrich’s attorney, Greg Davis, did not object to the requirements and asked for a hearing to be set for March 22.
Ulrich was taken into custody after the shooting, which occurred Tuesday morning about 40 miles northwest of Minneapolis. Buffalo police Chief Pat Budke told reporters Tuesday there was no reason to believe Ulrich had any ties to domestic terrorism and that the shooting was an isolated event. They believe he acted alone.
Five people were taken to hospitals, said Kelly Spratt, president of Buffalo Hospital Allina Health. Four were taken to North Memorial Health, where three were stable in critical condition, the hospital said. The fourth patient was discharged.
The fifth person, who was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, died later, the hospital confirmed Tuesday. Allina Health on Thursday identified the victim as Lindsay Overbay, a 37-year-old medical assistant who had been with the clinic since November 2018.
Close friend Naiya Stubbe told NBC affiliate KARE that Overbay was the “best person in the world.”
“She was the best mother, she had the best heart,” Stubbe said. “She could light up a room.”
Authorities said Ulrich was known to local authorities. In October 2018, Ulrich allegedly threatened to attack four Allina Health medical facilities, according to a Buffalo police report. At the time, his doctor told police that Ulrich called him three times and made threats involving “shooting, blowing things up, and practicing different scenarios of how to get revenge” against the facilities, the report said.
Among the locations he is alleged to have threatened was the Allina Health Clinic in Buffalo — the urgent care facility where Tuesday’s shooting took place.
At the time, the doctor told police that Ulrich said he would not act on his threats, but he said he believed “Mr. Ulrich is a high threat to society and himself.”
Ulrich’s younger brother, Richard Ulrich, told NBC News Wednesday the alleged threats were “related to opioid pain medication.”
Richard Ulrich, 63, of Florida, said his brother became dependent on opioids when he had back surgery two years ago.
“They discontinued it after a few weeks, and he was upset the doctors wouldn’t give him more,” he said. “He seemed like he was frustrated and mad with the doctors.”
According to the report, Ulrich was taken to an emergency room for a mental health evaluation after he was accused of making the threats. Shortly after, Allina Health staff members filed for a restraining order against Ulrich, records show.
Ulrich was arrested on a charge of violating the harassment restraining order in November 2018, according to the report. A month later, he was given a notice of trespass from a Stellis Health clinic in Buffalo, the report said.
The charge was dismissed last year after Ulrich was found mentally incompetent, records show.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
