A horrific shooting on Saturday at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York, Pennsylvania, left a police officer dead and five others wounded, including hospital personnel. The gunman, 49-year-old Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, was killed after exchanging shots with police. The authorities have stated that Archangel-Ortiz had recently been to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) during the week, suspecting the attack might have been planned.
York County District Attorney Tim Barker acknowledged in a news conference that Archangel-Ortiz was indeed at the ICU for a medical reason involving someone else, though no further details were shared to protect the individual’s privacy. It is unclear if the individual was involved in the attack or not. Yet officials feel the gunman’s behavior was specific, with Barker saying, “If you walk into a hospital with a gun and zip ties and head directly to a certain area, this was targeted.”
The standoff began shortly after Archangel-Ortiz arrived at the hospital, where he took several medical workers hostage at gunpoint. A worker was tied up with zip ties as police tried to negotiate with the gunman. The standoff was intensified when Archangel-Ortiz entered the hallway, still threatening the hostage. Police were compelled to fire, killing the gunman and averting further injury. In the exchange, though, Archangel-Ortiz had shot and injured three officers, one of whom, West York Borough Police Officer Andrew Duarte, died later from his wounds. Officer Duarte had just turned 30 a few days before, on February 17.
Two other police officers were injured but are stable. Besides the officers, a doctor, nurse, and custodian in the ICU were also shot, although they will recover. A fourth staff member was hurt after tripping during the melee. No patients were injured in the shooting.
As the probe goes on, officials are scrutinizing security cameras and taking witness and police officer statements. The hospital has also thanked the responding officers for their quick response, which saved more lives.
Bongino’s appointment marks a leadership change in the FBI. Patel and Bongino each committed to reshaping the agency in their directions despite political criticism from opponents.
