The 'wack job' Minnesota gunman, 67, accused of killing a nurse and wounding four others at a health center had threatened to ...
The 'wack job' Minnesota gunman, 67, accused of killing a nurse and wounding four others at a health center had threatened to carry out a mass shooting at the clinic two years prior to Tuesday's attack and had a restraining order taken out against him by one of the facility's doctors, it has been revealed.
Gregory Paul Ulrich, from Buffalo, had a vendetta against the Allina Health Clinic on Crossroads Campus Drive in Wright County, Buffalo, and its staff because they refused to give him opioids for a back injury, according to his former roommate.
Court records show Ulrich had reportedly made threats against four Allina health clinics in total and he had also been issued a no trespassing order for a local church after sending a 'disturbing letter' to the pastor.
But, despite vowing to do something 'big and sensational so that it makes an impact', a judge ruling the 67-year-old 'not mentally competent' and officials warning he should not be allowed to possess a weapon, Ulrich was reportedly still granted a firearms permit and obtained a handgun just months before carrying out Tuesday's deadly attack.
Ulrich was arrested and is currently being held in the Wright County Jail over the shooting that took place at the clinic late Tuesday morning.
Five people were wounded after the gunman entered the facility not long before 11am and opened fire.
One of the victims - a nurse at the clinic - died after being transported to the Hennepin County Medical Center. Three other victims remain in a stable but critical condition and a fourth has been discharged.
The identities of the victims has not been released.
'Suspicious packages' were also located at the clinic and the nearby Super 8 motel - roughly one mile from the center - where Ulrich was known to have been staying prior to to the attack.
It is not yet clear if any of the devices had detonated but windows appeared to have been blown out in both buildings.
Gregory Paul Ulrich, 67, had threatened to carry out a mass shooting at the clinic two years prior to Tuesday's attack and had a restraining order taken out against him by one of the facility's doctors, it has been revealed
Ulrich, from Buffalo, had a vendetta against the Allina Health Clinic (above) on Crossroads Campus Drive in Wright County, Buffalo, and its staff because they refused to give him opioids for a back injury, court records show
New details have now emerged about Ulrich's apparent motive for the deadly attack after authorities said Tuesday he had been known to law enforcement since at least 2003.
Buffalo Police records show a complaint was filed against Ulrich in October 2018 by a man named Andrew Burgdorf - one of the 11 practitioners listed on the Allina Clinic website.
Ulrich was calling Burgdorf three times a day and wanted to seek revenge on him and the medical staff who he felt had 'tortured' him by refusing to give him drugs for his back injury, records show, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Allina medical staff told police at the time they believed Ulrich was likely to carry out his threats.
'I believe Mr. Ulrich is a high threat to society and himself,' Burgdorf said, according to the police report.
It is not yet known if Burgdorf is among Ulrich's five victims or if he was in the center at the time of the attack.
The person killed in the attack was identified as a nurse but authorities have not yet confirmed if the four surviving victims are staff or patients at the facility which is based in the small community of around 15,000 people.
The 2018 police report said Ulrich had threatened to carry out a mass shooting, to do something 'big and sensational so that it makes an impact' and made various threats against a total of four Allina facilities with the Buffalo site being his main target, the Tribune reported.
It is not clear if Ulrich planned to carry out additional attacks at other locations after first targeting the Buffalo clinic but authorities confirmed other 'suspicious devices' were found at the Super 8 hotel where Ulrich was staying.
Following the threats made in 2018, Ulrich was issued a restraining order to stay away from Burgdorf, the Allina clinic and the Buffalo hospital.
In November 2018 - just one month after the police report was filed - Ulrich was charged with violating the order.
Ulrich pleaded guilty but the case was later dismissed n April 2020 after he underwent a mental health evaluation and was deemed 'mentally incompetent'.
A map of the Allina Health Clinic which is just one mile from the Super 8 Motel. Suspicious packages were found at both locations
The sheriff's department at the Super 8 motel where 'suspicious devices' were also found
The Super 8 motel above. It is not yet clear if any of the devices had detonated but windows appeared to have been blown out there and at the clinic
During court proceedings in June 2019, a court official said Ulrich had previously applied for and been denied a gun permit.
'It is highly recommended that the defendant not be allowed to have use or possession of any dangerous weapons,' they wrote.
Five months later in November 2019, Ulrich was then ordered to hand over any weapons or permits for weapons.
However despite the recommendations of the court, Ulrich's threats and his 'mental incompetence', his former roommate claims he was in fact granted a firearms permit and had showed off to him a gun he bought just months before Tuesday's mass shooting.
Raymond Zandstra, who lived with Ulrich in his mobile home for two years until last July, told Fox 9 he had seen a copy of a permit allowing the 67-year-old to carry a firearm in his home last year.
Zandstra said Ulrich then showed off his new handgun - a Smith & Wesson - last summer.
'He showed me a new handgun he got, I said, 'What?' You shouldn't have a gun,' he told the outlet.
DailyMail.com has not yet been able to verify whether or not Ulrich was granted a gun permit.
Zandstra slammed law enforcement for allegedly allowing him to obtain a firearm saying they 'knew he was a wack job' and harbored a grudge against doctors 'because they wouldn't give him all the pain killers he wanted.'
'They'd give him a month supply, and it would be gone in a few days,' he told Fox 9.
Police said Ulrich had been known to law enforcement for some time and they believe he targeted the Allina Health Clinic on Crossroads Campus Drive in Wright County, Buffalo, (above) and its staff
Law enforcement personnel and first responders gathered on the scene outside the clinic
One of the broken windows following the mass shooting and explosion at the clinic
Zandstra also said Ulrich had a particular vendetta against one doctor and even erected a sign in front of his own home slamming the medic as a 'quack.'
The former roommate, who moved out when Ulrich took out a restraining order against him, described the suspected killer as 'nothing but trouble' and said the police would often pay him a visit.
He said Ulrich was often drunk or high on a mix of painkillers, glue and marijuana.
Richard Ulrich, the suspect's younger brother, also said he believed his opioid addiction was behind the mass shooting.
He told The New York Times that Ulrich worked in construction for some years and had possibly injured his back on the job.
He had back surgery about two years ago and became dependent on opioids he had been prescribed, Richard said.
His brother was angry when doctors refused to prescribe more of them to him.
'He would call me once in a while, but that's usually what he would talk about, that he was mad at the doctors for not giving him opioids and that they should open up the gates on the opioids. It didn't make a lot of sense to me,' he said.
As well as his harassment of medical professionals, a local church also obtained a no trespassing order against Ulrich in 2019 after the pastor received a 'threatening letter' from him.
A newsletter on the website for Zion Lutheran Church in Buffalo revealed the complaint against Ulrich and warned staff to call police if he turned up at the property.
'Pastor Ted informed the council of a disturbing letter received from Greg Ulrich,' it read.
'The Buffalo Police Department was called and informed Pastor Ted that Mr. Ulrich is well known to them and recommended that a no trespassing order be issued so that if he ever did appear at Zion the police could take action.
'The order was issued the following day and the staff have been given a picture of Mr. Ulrich and informed to call 911 if he does appear on any of Zion's properties.'
Prior to Tuesday's attack, Ulrich did not have any weapons offenses.
But court records show he had a long rap sheet of arrests and convictions for drink driving and possession of small amounts of marijuana dating from 2004 through 2015.
Most of the offenses were in Wright County, including two convictions for gross misdemeanor drunken driving that resulted in short jail sentences.
No charges have yet been filed against Ulrich over the mass shooting that has so far claimed at least one life.
Buffalo Police Chief Pat Budke confirmed Ulrich's identity at a press conference Tuesday afternoon where he said the suspect had been known to law enforcement for some time and is thought to have specifically targeted the clinic.
Buffalo Police Chief Pat Budke (center) confirmed the suspect's identity at a press conference Tuesday afternoon where he said earlier reports that four homemade bombs had been detonated at the center are now known to be incorrect
![Both the Buffalo Police Department and the Wright County Sheriff's Department were 'very familiar' with the suspect and had received 'several calls for service [regarding Ulrich] dating back to 2003,' Sheriff Sean Deringer (above) said at the press conference](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/02/10/15/39118096-9245383-image-a-28_1612971605575.jpg)
Both the Buffalo Police Department and the Wright County Sheriff's Department were 'very familiar' with the suspect and had received 'several calls for service [regarding Ulrich] dating back to 2003,' Sheriff Sean Deringer (above) said at the press conference
He said there was no indication that Ulrich was connected to any type of domestic terrorism.
Instead, Budke said they believe the 67-year-old 'targeted the facility or someone at the facility' because he was unhappy with the care he'd received there.
'All I can say is, it's a history that spans several years and there's certainly a history of him being unhappy with health care... with the health care that he'd received,' Budke said.
'None of the information that we have from our past contact with him would indicate that he was unhappy with, or would direct his anger at, anyone other than people within the facilities where he had been treated or where they had attempted to give treatment.'
Ulrich has lived in the community for some time and has been in contact with healthcare professionals at the clinic for 'quite some time',' authorities said.
'None of the information we have at this time suggests he would focus on any other individual or clinic.'
Police said they believe he acted alone and they are not looking for any further suspects involved in the shooting.
Both the Buffalo Police Department and the Wright County Sheriff's Department were 'very familiar' with the suspect and had received 'several calls for service [regarding Ulrich] dating back to 2003,' Sheriff Sean Deringer said at the press conference.
'He is no stranger to law enforcement,' authorities said.
Budke said earlier reports that four homemade bombs had been detonated at the center are now known to be incorrect.
He said that 'suspicious packages' had been located at both the clinic and the nearby Super 8 motel - roughly one mile from the center - where Ulrich was known to have been staying.
Budke said it was not yet clear if any of the devices had detonated and if the damage to the building was from gunfire or an explosive.
Police were first called to reports of shots being fired at the clinic at 10:54 am.
Officers responded to the scene and found several people injured inside the clinic, who they immediately administered aid to.
They located the suspect and he was taken into custody, police said.
During a secondary search of the building, officers found what they described as a 'suspicious package' in the lobby.
The clinic was evacuated and the Minneapolis bomb squad was called to the scene. They were still on the scene at 3pm.
Authorities then received information that Ulrich was staying at the Super 8.
Officers went to the motel where they found 'additional suspicious devices' and also evacuated the building.
A search warrant was obtained and officers continue to be investigating the scene.
Budke said the situation was contained by 11:42 am and there was no ongoing threat to public safety.
Hours after the attack, law enforcement also cordoned off a small mobile home park near the city's Pulaski Lake, about a mile from the clinic, and searched a mobile home where Ulrich had lived.
Five victims were rushed to hospital following the shooting.
Four patients were taken to North Memorial Health Hospital in Robbinsdale and the fifth at Hennepin County Medical Center.
The North Memorial hospital is known for dealing with the most severe of critical incident injuries.
The hospital confirmed Tuesday night that one of the victims had died.
Budke choked back tears in Tuesday's press conference as he said: 'This is a day that no community would want to go through - especially those staff that were there and families of those that were injured.'
There had been conflicting reports about whether any bombs had detonated at the scene.
Initial reports based on police dispatch audio said that four homemade bombs had been detonated inside the family medicine and urgent care clinic at the facility just 30 minutes after the shooting.
'The male is saying that he had four homemade explosive devices. They all went off,' a voice says over the audio, adding that there could be another device inside the suspect's briefcase that had not gone off yet.
Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives search for evidence at the Allina Health Clinic parking lot after a shooting
A Minneapolis Police Bomb Squad vehicle is seen outside the Allina Health Clinic Tuesday
The man was 'sprawled out on his stomach' and had said the gun and his briefcase was by the front desk of the clinic, the audio reported.
Wright County spokesman John Holler later told CNN no bombs were found on the scene but Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said at a press conference the incident involved some IEDs.
'At the time what we know is there was an active shooter situation and some improvised explosive devices,' Walz said at a briefing one hour before the local authorities held their press conference.
'It's not confirmed yet the causalities or those injured in this.'
Walz confirmed the suspect was in custody and that the incident appeared to be the work of a single individual.
He added that it was too early to determine the motive for the attack.
The police dispatch audio reported that '15 shots were fired' and 'that somebody came in and started shooting.'
At least five were said to be critically injured with voices later saying there was 'one down' and that there were 'several victims with one [victim's condition being] critical if not fatal.'
Three female victims were said to be by the front entrance with gunshot wounds - with at least one critical and one shot in the abdomen.
A local woman told Fox9 she was dropping her mom off for an appointment when she saw two nurses come running out the front of the building.
At least five people were wounded including one killed after the gunman entered the facility not long before 11am and opened fire
Local schools were placed on lockdown and a flight ban was issued over the area
'I pulled in and was getting ready to drop her off at the door and two of the nurses came running out and they got in and said they heard about 11 shots within a minute,' she said.
She said the nurses told her they didn't see a shooter.
They then saw the front windows 'be shot out' about two minutes later so they drove away from the scene, she said.
Another local resident Jim Rich told Fox 9 the incident was 'very out of the norm for the area' where everyone knows each other.
A law enforcement source told the outlet the incident was a 'disaster.'
Multiple law enforcement teams were drafted in to the scene with the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm and Hennepin County all sending in teams to assist Buffalo Police and Wright County Sheriff's Department.
The State Patrol reported that it was flying six boxes of blood from the Red Cross to Buffalo Hospital for the victims.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the situation an 'unspeakable depravity' and said the city was also sending in emergency responders to assist Buffalo.
'There is an unspeakable depravity in doing harm to those who work to heal us. Those who have stepped up and risked their own health for ours,' he tweeted.
'Our first responders are on their way to the scene to help. Today Minneapolis stands with our neighbors in Buffalo.'
Local schools went into lockdown and a flight ban was issued over the area Tuesday morning while the investigation was underway.
Allina Health owns or operates 12 hospitals and more than 90 clinics across Minnesota.
At the Allina Health Clinic in Buffalo, 11 practitioners are listed on the website.
Buffalo is a city of about 15,000 people based around 40 miles northwest of Minneapolis.
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