At about 10:35 a.m. Saturday, Diogenes Archangel Ortiz walked into UPMC Memorial Hospital, a massive structure perched on a hilltop in West Manchester Township.
The details of that contact weren’t revealed. But apparently, it hadn’t gone well.
It wasn’t the first time he went to the hospital. Earlier in the week, he had been to the intensive care unit to visit a person he knew who was being treated there and, in the words of York County District Attorney Tim Barker, “had contact” with the staff.
When Archangel-Ortiz entered the hospital Saturday, he was carrying a bag.
Inside the bag were zip ties and a semi-automatic handgun.
Killed in the line of duty: Who was West York Officer Andrew Duarte
Reported earlier: Officer killed in the line of duty at UPMC Memorial Hospital after hostage situation
‘Neutralized’
A little more than half an hour after he entered the hospital, five people – a doctor, a nurse, a custodian and two police officers – were wounded. A third police officer, Andrew Duarte of the West York Borough Police Department, was killed.
And the 49-year-old Archangel-Ortiz, using the clinical term contained in a statement from York County Emergency Management Services, had been “neutralized,” killed by police officers.
‘Absolutely justified’
Once at the ICU, Archangel-Ortiz took the staff of the ICU hostage, firing several shots and binding the hands of a nurse with zip ties. His bullets struck the doctor, the nurse and the custodian. A fourth member of the staff was injured in a fall, trying to escape the gunfire, Barker said.
UPMC police officers responded to the ICU and retreated after being fired upon by Archangel-Ortiz, Barker said.
Police from 10 jurisdictions arrived at the hospital and fell into formation outside the ICU. When they tried to enter the unit, Archangel-Ortiz leveled his gun at the officers and ordered them to retreat, which they did. They attempted to speak to the gunman to no avail, Barker said.
A short time later, Archangel-Ortiz emerged from the ICU, holding a staffer at gunpoint, her hands bound with zip ties.
At this point, Barker said, officers had no choice and opened fire, killing Archangel-Ortiz. Barker described the shooting, legally speaking, as “absolutely justified, beyond any and all doubt.”
Archangel-Ortiz did not have a significant criminal record, according to court records. He had been charged with driving on a suspended license earlier this month and with harassment and contempt for a court order in October 2016. records show.
The doctor was grazed, a wound that did not require significant medical treatment. The nurse and custodian were more seriously wounded and were in stable condition Saturday afternoon, according to Barker.
The two wounded officers – one from Springettsbury Township and another from Northern York County Regional Police – were also in stable condition, according to Barker.
Duarte, who had been a police officer for more than six years, coming to West York from the Denver, Colorado, Police Department, where he had won commendations, was killed.
He targeted the ICU
It appeared Archangel-Ortiz had targeted the ICU, Barker said. Arriving at the hospital armed and carrying zip ties, the district attorney said, clearly demonstrated his intent.
The investigation was still in its early stages when Barker spoke at the Saturday afternoon news conference. He did say that after reviewing surveillance video and statements from hospital staffers and police officers, he concluded that officers were justified in shooting and killing Archangel-Ortiz. Asked at the press conference whether Duarte was shot by Archangel-Ortiz or what could be described as “friendly fire,” Barker demurred, saying that the investigation is ongoing.
A town mourns a cop
Duarte’s death hit West York hard. It’s a suburb of York City, but in many ways still a small town, a borough of 4,500 served by a 13-member police department.
Duarte joined the West York Police Department in June 2022 after serving five years with the Denver Police Department. In Denver, he worked as a patrol officer, earning commendations for academic achievement when he completed drug recognition expert training and another from Mothers Against Drunk Driving for “his efforts in keeping Denver’s roads safe from impaired drivers,” according to the Denver Police Department.
He described himself in his LinkedIn profile as “a driven person who likes a new challenge.”
West York mourned his loss.
“Our West York family is suffering a painful loss today in response to a tragic mutual aid call earlier today in West Manchester Township at UPMC,” according to a statement released Saturday by the department. “Our hearts break at the innocent loss of life.”
“Our prayers and deepest condolences go out to West York Borough Police Officer, Andrew Duarte’s family and all of our brothers and sisters in the West York Borough Police Department that have lost a comrade and friend, and furthermore our fellow Borough agencies that have lost a colleague,” the statement read. “Our community grieves the loss of a hero.”
The statement concluded, “God’s speed Officer Duarte.” It was signed, “Your West York Borough family.”
A message was placed on the steps of the West York Police Department in memory of fallen Officer Andrew Duarte, who was killed in the line of duty at UPMC Memorial Hospital Feb. 22, 2025.
Barker said, “This is a huge loss to our community.”
West York residents placed flowers and lit candles at the borough’s administrative offices on West Poplar Street. A candlelight vigil was planned for Saturday night at the borough building.
West York Council member Jennifer Chambers suggested residents replace the bulbs on their porches with blue lights to demonstrate their grief and support.
‘Something like this should never happen’
Gov. Josh Shapiro, appearing with Barker at the afternoon press briefing, said, “Here in York County, we saw the very best and the very worst of humanity,” calling Ortiz’s actions “the act of a coward.”
Shapiro praised the bravery of hospital staff and law enforcement and singled out Duarte’s courage, service and sacrifice to keep the community safe.
“Officer Duarte was one of the best of us,” the governor said. “He is to be commended for a life of service, albeit one cut too short.”
Shapiro later met with Duarte’s parents and fellow West York police officers and the two officers wounded in the shooting. He ordered the state’s flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Duarte’s sacrifice. In a statement, the governor said, “Their willingness to run toward danger helped save the lives of others. I’m grateful to them and all law enforcement who answered the call today in York.”
The governor also lamented, “Something like this should never happen in your place of work.”
The violence, he said, is “another painful reminder how tragedy can come to a community in a split second.”
Columnist/reporter Mike Argento has been a York Daily Record staffer since 1982. Reach him at mike@ydr.com.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Shooter targeted the ICU at UPMC Memorial, killing a police officer
#Shooter #targeted #UPMC #Memorial #ICU #zip #ties #handgun
Leave a Reply