Nurses share harrowing ordeal of hospital attack in PA

In a harrowing account posted on Facebook, a nurse from Pennsylvania recounted her terrifying ordeal of being used as a human shield during an attack by an armed man at a hospital. Tosha Trostle detailed how she was forced, with her arms zip-tied behind her back, to act as a barrier for the gunman as they faced responding law enforcement officers.

Trostle shared that she repeatedly pleaded with the man to release her, as she felt the muzzle of his gun pressed firmly against her neck and spine. When they encountered police officers, she prayed and described the chaotic scene of gunfire, the acrid smell of smoke, and the sound of bullet casings clattering to the floor.

“At one point, the weight of the shooter’s body caused me to collapse to the ground,” Trostle wrote, recalling how officers instructed her to escape, but she struggled to free herself from beneath him. “His cold, lifeless hand touched my face as I desperately pushed myself away,” she detailed, before falling twice in her attempts to get up and eventually being guided to safety by an officer.

Attempts to reach Trostle by phone and Facebook messages were made to validate her account. A nurse from the same hospital, who chose to remain anonymous due to a lack of authorization to discuss the matter, confirmed that the Facebook post was indeed from her.

Authorities reported that the assailant, identified as 49-year-old Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, had taken hostages at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York on a Saturday morning using a gun and zip ties. He was ultimately shot and killed by responding officers. Tragically, West York Patrolman Andrew Duarte, 30, was fatally shot, and two other officers, along with three hospital staff, sustained injuries.

Trostle revealed she was collecting blood samples when unexpected sounds drew her to a corridor, assuming it was a routine incident. “Little did I know, I was about to confront an active shooter,” she said. She saw the gunman holding a fellow nurse, Jess, hostage at gunpoint.

Her colleague, Jessica Breighner, was coerced into binding Trostle’s hands with zip ties. “The fear in Jess’s eyes is unforgettable,” Trostle wrote, emphasizing the severity of the situation.

Certain details remained particularly vivid for Trostle, including the attacker’s footwear. She believed the firearm had jammed when he was at her feet, but she heard the chilling sound of it being reloaded. “While many details are a blur, those red sneakers are indelibly printed in my memory,” she added.

Meanwhile, Jason Huff, Breighner’s long-term partner, recounted in a Facebook post that the gunman attempted to discharge the weapon three times while aiming it at Breighner’s head. “The gun was thankfully out of bullets,” Huff explained, noting Breighner took the opportunity to free herself and flee while he reloaded.

Huff hopes to eventually discuss the incident publicly along with other survivors. He shared on Facebook that before making her escape, Breighner had overheard the assailant giving instructions over the phone regarding personal items, signaling his readiness to die.

According to York County District Attorney Tim Barker, Archangel-Ortiz had some prior engagement with the intensive care unit, but further specifics were not provided. UPMC’s representatives have deferred inquiries to law enforcement, highlighting the importance of safety and confidentiality.

As Trostle was dragged by the assailant, she was pushed against a wall displaying a photo of Breighner among other team leaders. “He kept the gun pressed against me as I begged to return to my children,” Trostle recalled. “His chilling response was to reassure me I was doing well and would go home.”

She recounted that the gunman instructed her to take him to a populated floor, and upon passing through a doorway, they were met by “a wall of armed officers.” After the confrontation ended, Trostle was escorted down a stairway. The overwhelming memory continues to haunt her and her family.

“The visible wounds I have are nothing compared to the invisible ones,” she explained. “I carry a heavy burden of guilt for everyone’s suffering, especially brave Officer Andrew Duarte who sacrificed his life.”

A funeral service is set to honor Officer Duarte’s sacrifice in York this coming Friday.