'This Is A Public Health Crisis': MN Hospital, Medical Groups Address Tulsa Mass Shooting
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Three major health care associations in Minnesota are speaking out after the mass shooting at a medical facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Four people were killed in the shooting Wednesday at a medical building on a hospital campus in Tulsa. The gunman is also dead, of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police.
In a joint statement, the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) and Minnesota Medical Association (MMA) called gun violence a "public health crisis" that "must be addressed."
"The mass shootings throughout our nation in recent months due to gun violence are unfathomable," the statement said. "(The) event in Tulsa again illustrates the staggering plague of gun violence. The hospital, health system, and physician community cannot and will not be silent as gun violence increasingly enters our places of healing, learning, and other community settings – these senseless acts of violence must be stopped."
MHA and MMA say they worked actively in 2013 with a "broad coalition of health care stakeholders" to develop prevention strategies and responses to workplace violence.
"The coalition's work is still guiding health care organizations in identifying risks for violence and putting effective strategies in place to ensure safety of our patients, staff, and visitors," the statement continued. "As guardians of community health, we stand ready to work with policymakers and stakeholders on solutions to prevent these tragedies now and in the future."
The statement also offers condolences to victims' families, first responders and the medical community.
"Caregivers and first responders have answered a calling to serve those who are hurting and in need - this senseless loss of life is especially devastating to them," the statement said.
Allina Health also released a statement Thursday afternoon, saying the "impact of gun violence in our communities and across our country feels very close to home." Last year, Gregory Ulrich opened fire at the Allina Crossroads Clinic in Buffalo, Minnesota, killing one person and injuring four others.
Ulrich is currently on trial, and testified Thursday morning to say that he had been experiencing pain since a 2016 surgery and was cut off from pain medication two months later. He said that after receiving no response from medical providers about his pain, he went to the clinic to cause "property damage."
"Today, our hearts are with our health care colleagues both near and far who have been impacted by gun violence and we hold all those whose lives have been ended or forever altered by gun violence close to our hearts," Allina's statement went on to say.
The Tulsa shooting occurred in the late afternoon on the campus of Saint Francis Hospital, Tulsa Deputy Police Chief Eric Dalgleish told reporters. Officers responded to the scene within three minutes and made contact with the gunman about five minutes later, he said.
The shooter's motive wasn't immediately known.
