Motive in Pennsylvania hospital shooting unclear, but officials say man had recent contact with ICU
YORK, Pa. (AP) — The man who authorities say entered a Pennsylvania hospital with zip ties and a pistol over the weekend had recent contact with the hospital's intensive care unit, where he took staff members hostage and was killed in a shootout that left a police officer dead and others injured.
Investigators released no new information Sunday about a possible motive for the shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York on Saturday, in which a doctor, nurse, custodian and two other officers were injured.
But York County District Attorney Tim Barker said during a news conference Saturday that the man — identified as 49-year-old Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz — appeared to have had recent contact with the ICU 'for a medical purpose involving another person.' He didn't release any details or identify Archangel-Ortiz's relationship to the person, citing privacy concerns.
While the investigation is in its early stages, Barker said after watching surveillance video and reviewing statements by police and workers that it appeared the shooter intentionally targeted the workers there.
The injured hospital workers were reported to be in stable condition Sunday, and UPMC officials said they were 'progressing in their recovery.' The hospital remained closed to visitors.
'We know that families and visitors are vital to helping patients heal, and we are working toward making visitation possible again,' the hospital said in a statement.
Barker said the hospital's own security officers were first on the scene and that the gunman fired at them, prompting a call for backup.
Dozens of officers responded from multiple agencies. When they attempted to access the ICU, the gunman was holding a female staff member at gunpoint and ordered police back behind the doors. They complied to ensure the worker wouldn't be hurt.
Authorities said Archangel-Ortiz ended up entering the hallway with the staff member, her hands bound with zip ties.
'The officers, left with no recourse, did open fire,' Barker said, and the gunman was killed.
The officer who died was identified as Andrew Duarte, 30, of the West York Borough Police Department.
Duarte was a law enforcement veteran who joined the department in 2022 after five years with the Denver Police Department, according to his LinkedIn profile. He described receiving a 'hero award' in 2021 from Mothers Against Drunk Driving for his work in impaired driving enforcement for the state of Colorado.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered flags be flown half-staff to honor Duarte.
The two wounded officers, from Northern York County Regional and Springettsbury Township police departments, were reported in stable condition. Their identities weren't immediately released.
The shooting was the latest episode of a wave of gun violence in recent years that has swept through U.S. hospitals and medical centers, which have struggled to adapt to the growing threats. Such attacks have contributed to making health care one of the nation's most dangerous fields, with workers suffering more nonfatal injuries from workplace violence than workers in any other profession, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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