A tragic shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York, Pennsylvania, left a police officer dead and five others injured after a gunman took medical staff hostage and opened fire. Continue reading for more details.
Chaos unfolded at UPMC Memorial Hospital when a gunman stormed the ICU, taking staff members hostage before engaging in a deadly shootout with police.
The violence resulted in the death of West York Borough Police Officer Andrew Duarte, a six-year veteran of law enforcement, and left multiple individuals wounded. The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Diogenes Archangel Ortiz, was also killed in the confrontation. Authorities reported that Ortiz entered the hospital carrying a bag containing a handgun and zip ties before heading straight to the ICU.
UPMC took to Facebook to share confirmation of reports of a gunman being present and shots being fired. He held staff hostage and prevented officers from breaching the unit by threatening to kill one of the hostages.
When he later emerged into the hallway with a hospital worker still at gunpoint, officers opened fire, killing Ortiz. Two additional law enforcement officers suffered gunshot wounds and are in stable condition. A doctor, a nurse, and a custodian were also shot, while a fourth hospital employee was injured during the chaos.
Officials believe the attack was specifically targeted at the ICU, as Ortiz had been in contact with the department in the previous week regarding a medical matter involving another individual.
Officer Duarte, who, according to reports, was 29 when he died, had served in law enforcement for six years. Before joining the West York Borough Police Department, he spent five years with the Denver Police Department, where he specialized in DUI and drug recognition enforcement.
Duarte was highly regarded in his field, earning the MADD Hero Award in 2021 for his work in impaired driving enforcement. The West York Borough Police Department honored his sacrifice, encouraging the community to lay flowers on the steps of the police department in his memory. “Our community grieves the loss of a hero,” the department shared on Facebook. “We ask that the community come together in solidarity, respect, and prayer at this time as broken hearts mourn.”
Governor Josh Shapiro also paid tribute to Duarte, calling him “the best of us” and recognizing his life of service. “This morning in York County, we saw the best and worst of humanity,” Shapiro wrote on X. “Tragically, we lost one of those heroes today. Officer Duarte’s willingness to run toward danger helped save lives.”
The Fraternal Order of Police echoed these sentiments, stating, “Pennsylvania lost another hero today. Officer Duarte’s bravery and commitment to upholding the law are a testament to the selflessness shown daily by those who have dedicated themselves to protecting and serving.”
Patients and visitors at UPMC Memorial Hospital described the terrifying moments leading up to the shooting. Jayden Robertson and his grandmother were visiting a family member when an announcement came over the intercom about an intruder with a weapon.
Initially, they assumed it was a minor security issue, but the situation quickly escalated. Robertson recalled looking out the window and seeing police cars arriving, with officers rushing to grab shields and firearms. “That’s when we realized how serious this was,” he said.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Betsy Small was visiting her mother when she heard strange noises and saw people running.
A woman over the intercom announced a lockdown, sending a wave of panic through the floor. “You never think it’s going to be a shooting, not in a hospital,” Small said. She took cover near a window while medical staff scrambled through the hallways.
For more than an hour, Small watched as nurses moved frantically, some in tears. Her daughter texted her at 11:41 a.m., informing her that the shooter had been “taken out.”
“UPMC is grateful to all the law enforcement officers, and to our staff who courageously ensured their own safety and the safety of our patients and visitors. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone exposed to this terrible event,” the hospital shared in part on Facebook. State Senator Dawn Keefer and State Representative Seth Grove addressed the tragedy in a joint statement, expressing their sorrow over the events at UPMC Memorial Hospital.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at UPMC this morning. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and all those affected by this senseless act of violence,” they stated.
Battle promised that she was committed to understanding how and why such a tragedy happened so as to prevent another occurrence in the future.
She added, “It’s important to remember that our schools have historically been safe places for learning, friendship, and growth. We cannot allow this tragedy to overshadow the positive experiences of our 80,000 students.”
