Workers at a hospital in Pennsylvania who sustained injuries during a recent shooting incident were reported to be in stable condition as of Sunday. The hospital, UPMC Memorial in York, remains closed to visitors while authorities continue their investigation into the event that resulted in the deaths of the gunman and a police officer.
On Saturday, a man armed with a pistol and carrying zip ties entered the hospital’s intensive care unit and took several staff members hostage. Following an exchange of gunfire, the suspect was killed by police, and a police officer also lost his life during the confrontation.
Among those injured in the attack were a doctor, a nurse, a custodian, and two police officers. Additionally, one hospital staff member was hurt in a fall during the chaos. UPMC officials reported that the injured employees were making progress in their recovery; however, they emphasized that visitation restrictions would be upheld as security measures were increased on the medical campus.
In a statement, the hospital acknowledged the importance of family and visitor support for patient recovery and expressed their commitment to restoring visitation as soon as possible. Investigators have not disclosed much information regarding the shooter’s motivations. According to York County District Attorney Tim Barker, preliminary evidence suggests that the shooter had previous interactions with the hospital’s ICU and targeted the staff members there.
The shooter has been identified as 49-year-old Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz. The sequence of events escalated when police officers arrived to confront him while he was reportedly holding a female employee at gunpoint, with her hands bound with zip ties.
The fallen officer was identified as Andrew Duarte from the West York Borough Police Department. With a background in law enforcement, Duarte had joined West York in 2022 after five years with the Denver Police Department. He was recognized in 2021 with a “hero award” for his efforts in promoting impaired driving enforcement in Colorado.
In a statement, the Pennsylvania State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police lauded Duarte’s bravery and dedication to public service. Governor Josh Shapiro has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in his honor and met with Duarte’s parents and the injured officers on Saturday evening. The wounded officers from the Northern York County Regional and Springettsbury Township police departments are reported to be in stable condition.
Shapiro expressed gratitude on social media for the courage of the officers who responded to the threat, noting that their actions helped to save lives.
UPMC Memorial, a 104-bed hospital that opened its doors in 2019, is part of a growing trend of gun violence affecting U.S. healthcare facilities. Such violent incidents have increased, making healthcare one of the most dangerous professions in the country, with workers experiencing more nonfatal injuries from workplace violence than in other sectors, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
