Search Warrants Released For Gregory Ulrich Reveal Drug Dependency
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Search warrant information is revealing more about Gregory Ulrich, the alleged shooter in the Buffalo health clinic shooting.
Investigators say Ulrich, 67, of Buffalo, set off two homemade bombs in the clinic and shot five people, leaving four seriously injured and one dead. The violence occurred in the span of about 6 minutes before officers arrived and found him lying face down amid the destruction.
RELATED: Buffalo Clinic Shooting: Gregory Ulrich Charged With Murder, Detonating Homemade Bombs
Ulrich is charged with one count of second-degree intentional murder, four counts of first-degree premeditated attempted murder, one count of discharging an explosive device, and one count of carrying a pistol without a permit in a public place. If convicted of the charges, Ulrich faces decades in prison — 40 years for the second-degree murder charge alone.
SEARCH WARRANT INFO
On Friday, search warrants in the Ulrich case were released. While details are still being parsed through, here are some of the main findings:
Searches conducted at Ulrich's previous address at a Buffalo mobile home park and the Super 8 motel where he had been staying produced ammunition and a pound of gunpowder consistent with the type used in the homemade bombs. According to the search warrant, they also found painkillers in the hotel room.
The search warrants state that Ulrich has a documented history of opioid dependency. According to the documents, Ulrich overdosed not long after he was released from back surgery in 2016. Ulrich made statements of mixing alcohol and opioids, and was subsequently cut off from his opioid prescription. He was later barred from seeing medical staff at Allina Clinics.
Also, in a video recorded by Ulrich shortly before the Buffalo clinic shooting, he states that he has consumed more than 30 pills at a time. According to the search warrant, it's believed that his dependency on pain medication is the driving force behind his alleged assault of the clinic, which resulted in one death and multiple others injured.
MORE BACKGROUND
Ulrich's former roommate, Raymond Zandstra, told WCCO-TV that Ulrich became addicted to pain medication and was furious when Allina cut him off. "He hated the doctor. He hated the clinic, he didn't like Buffalo hospital," Zandstra said.
The investigation into the shooting and how Ulrich was able to obtain weapons remains ongoing with dozens of investigators from multiple agencies, including the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the ATF, and the FBI. Anyone with information on the shooting or Ulrich is asked to call a tip line at 763-682-7733.
