Minnesota health clinic shooting suspect targeted site over his opioid prescription, report says

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Independent

Gregory Paul Ulrich was arrested for his involvement in the shooting

Danielle Zoellner
New York
@dani__zoellner
3 hours ago

Minnesota shooting suspect Gregory Paul Ulrich was looking to get revenge on doctors and medical staff who "tortured" him over their refusal to prescribe opioid medication to him.

In October 2018, Ulrich, 67, called his former doctor three times and threatened several revenge scenarios that included mass shootings and blowing things up, according to a Minnesota Police Department report obtained by The Star Tribune.

At the time, the doctor told police that he believed Ulrich was "a high threat to society and himself".

More than two years after the recorded threats, Ulrich was taken into custody on Tuesday after he opened fire at the Allina Clinic Crossroads health clinic in Buffalo, Minnesota, which resulted in one person dead and four injured.


Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/minnesota-shooting-clinic-opioid-prescription-b1800652.html

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[SergeStorms]

1. He abused opioids when they did prescribe them...

then can't understand why they won't prescribe any more. He has mental health issues as well. Another victim of our failed healthcare system.

[OldBaldy1701E]

3. Yep.

And, on a level, I can relate to where he was. I am one of those people who lives with intractable pain and they won't give me squat for it. And, I am not an addict. I hate the damned things. But, they serve a purpose. Every time I have ever been prescribed them I made them last way longer than their script. This meant nothing to the doctors, most of whom were complicit in passing them out like candy before they and their drug overlords got caught. Now, you are lucky if you get five pills for a broken back. This guy may have done what a few friends did and not only became addicted to them, but used alcohol with them, which basically rewired their heads. And, again, those who created this mess have not been held accountable for, and are doing damned little to correct, their evil. And again, the rest of us tsk tsk and then go to Starbucks. So sad.

[SergeStorms]

5. You and me both.

I've had chronic pain since 1998 after a botched spinal fusion. I've never abused the meds they prescribed, and don't drink or do street drugs. For doing that I was rewarded with a 2/3 cut in pain medication when the big opioid crises hit white America. The government would never have done anything about opioids if white people hadn't started dying throughout the country. If it would have remained a minority problem, it wouldn't have been a problem. You know what I mean. For the record, I'm a 71 year old white guy.

So yeah, I know where this poor bastard is coming from. I went through some serious withdrawal symptoms when they cut my pain meds, and there were times when I didn't know if I could go on, or even wanted to go on. Quality of life has suffered greatly. But it is what it is, they make the rules and keep changing them at their whim. People in chronic pain are an afterthought.

[ProfessorGAC]

6. My Wife, As Well

She's given up on pursuing it. She was on the lowest dose of Norco. Never ran out before the next scrip can down. Never in 10 years plus!
But, it got to the point where her GP, back doctor, her pysch, nobody wanted to be involved any longer.
Two had their hands tied by their hospital group, two just worried about one patient in the past that doctor shopped.
So, she does cannabis edibles and has waved the white flag on pain killers.
I get it was a big problem, but it's not solved by refusing it to non-abusing pain sufferers.

[SergeStorms]

7. I'm hoping President Biden...

will decriminalize cannabis. I go to a federally licensed pain and symptom management clinic, and as long as cannabis is against the law, I can't take it. I have to have an urinalysis every three months. If they make it's use legal, I too will get off the Methadone completely, and rely on cannabis for pain control.
President Biden campaigned on removing cannabis as a schedule one drug, but he's got bigger fish to fry right now. Sooner or later though.....

[ProfessorGAC]

8. The Markets Are Reflecting Your Hope

Stocks in the 3 biggest cannabis product companies have all gone up 60-150% since the election.
I know a guy who bought 25 shares of one of them at $5.60 a share early last year. (He dabbles as a hobby. He's not a day trader trying to get rich quick.) He told me yesterday he's thinking about selling because it's $15.50 now.
The other reason is the EU has just authorized medical research funding for cannabis.
The biggest of those 3 companies is merging with a European pot company. Their stock went up 20% in a day when that funding decision was announced.
I hope Biden pushes away the prohibition of transferring product across state lines, which is illegal even if there are no not legalized states in between. Seems like it could be sold as "business & entrepreneur friendly".

[SergeStorms]

10. I'm in New York...

and although it's been approved for medical use if prescribed by a qualified doctor (and I got my prescription right after the law was passed) there's still that federal schedule 1 law on the books. Imagine, lumping cannabis in the same category as heroin. If there's one way to get action on this problem, it's letting the capitalists become aware of how much money can be made from it's legal cultivation and sale. Money always greases the wheels of government, unfortunately. Take care my friend, and convey my best wishes for a pain free life to your wife.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. Thanks (nt)

[Lonestarblue]

2. The opioid crisis has taken a backseat to the pandemic, but it's still there.

Trump set up this big task force, and then he lost interest as soon as the cameras were gone and nothing was ever done to address the problem. The Sacklers should be in jail for their lies about their product not being addictive, but they’re rich white people so no jail time for them and they paid a fine but retained most of the profits.

[mpcamb]

4. Jail the Sacklers. Start there and work backwards.

[Aristus]

9. "You just want to torture me! You probably enjoy it!"

The battle-cry of the drug-seeker/doctor-shopper.

There are likely very few medical providers left who don't prescribe opioids responsibly and according to standard-of-care. Because to do otherwise can be construed as malpractice.

If physical therapy and orthopaedic treatment are ineffective, I refer my patients to a pain management expert, and let him/her deal with it.