A tragic shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York, Pennsylvania, claimed the life of West York Borough Police Officer Andrew Duarte and left five others injured after a gunman took medical staff hostage and opened fire. The violence erupted when 49-year-old Diogenes Archangel Ortiz entered the ICU armed with a handgun and zip ties, taking staff members hostage. Authorities revealed that Ortiz had been in contact with the hospital the previous week regarding a medical issue. During the standoff, he threatened to kill a hostage, preventing officers from breaching the unit. When he later emerged into the hallway holding a hospital worker at gunpoint, police opened fire, fatally shooting him and ending the crisis. Among the wounded were two police officers, a doctor, a nurse, a custodian, and another hospital employee. Fortunately, all are expected to recover.
Officer Duarte, 29, was a highly respected law enforcement officer who previously served with the Denver Police Department before joining West York Borough PD. He had received the MADD Hero Award in 2021 for his dedication to DUI and drug enforcement. His department honored his sacrifice, urging the community to leave flowers at the station in his memory. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro paid tribute, calling Duarte “the best of us” and commending his bravery in saving lives. The Fraternal Order of Police echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the devastating loss to the law enforcement community. Local officials and residents expressed their grief, standing in solidarity with the families affected by the tragedy.