Latest news with #Archangel-Ortiz
New York Post
02-05-2025
- New York Post
Hero cop in chaotic PA hospital hostage situation was killed by friendly fire: officials
The hero cop in the Pennsylvania hostage situation in February was killed by friendly fire, cops said. The same shotgun blast that killed Officer Andrew Duarte, 30, also killed gunman Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, 49, who held his weapon to a hospital worker's head and threatened to 'blow her head off,' authorities said. 6 A picture of Andrew Durate, killed during a confrontation with a gunman, next to police bear at a makeshift memorial. Paul Kuehnel/York Daily Record / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Advertisement Archangel-Ortiz didn't shoot that woman but wounded a doctor, a nurse, a custodian, and two other officers leading up to the confrontation with police, York County District Attorney Tim Barker said at a press conference. Barker said Archangel-Ortiz, 49, 'unleashed a torrent of evil' when he entered the UMPC Memorial Hospital in York on Feb. 22 with a bag containing a 9mm Taurus handgun and zip ties in a suicidal thirst for revenge. Barker said he refused to use the term 'friendly fire' because it was legally meaningless and it would be 'shallow and trite.' Advertisement 6 A fire department posts its condolences for slain officer Andrew Durate slain in a confrontation with a gunman Harrison Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images New details emerged as Barker released the findings of a two-month investigation into the hostage situation and shooting Wednesday. The bloody siege began when Archangel-Ortiz arrived at the hospital in an Uber from a nearby Walmart where he had just purchased zip ties, a knife, spray paint and lemonade. Archangel-Ortiz pretended he wanted to talk about the death of his girlfriend, then began taking hostages, Barker said. Advertisement At 10:51 a.m., Duarte and another officer arrived at the hospital. 6 The UMPC Memorial Hospital where Andrew Durate was slain confronting a gunman. Harrison Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Archangel-Ortiz told a hospital staffer, 'It's 11:02. Tell them they have until 11:25 or there are going to be bodies,' according to Barker. During the middle of the standoff the perp called his brother. Advertisement 'Tell everybody I love them. This is what I want. This is how I'm going out,' Barker said he told his brother. Barker said Archangel-Ortiz shoved a hostage through the ICU doors with the gun pointed at her head. Police officers moved back, Barker said, and looked for 'a clear and present opportunity to strike the actor and not strike the hostage.' 6 Baltimore County cops carry the flag to honor fallen officer Andrew Durate. AP An officer fired a shotgun blast at Archangel-Ortiz, Barker said, but two pellets struck Duarte, who was standing diagonally behind the officer holding a protective shield. One pellet hit his right side under his protective vest, and another struck the left side in the mesh of his vest penetrated his chest. Police then opened fire, hitting Archangel-Ortiz between 15 and 20 times in his head, neck and torso, Barker said. Barker grew emotional during his press conference as he described the senselessness of the attack and praised the heroism of the officers that had come to the rescue. 'These heroes showed what it means to lay down your life with sacrificial love for all of those you serve,' he said. Advertisement 'They were willing to lay down their lives for every single person in that hospital.' 6 Hellam county Fire fighters position an American flag to honor fallen officer Andrew Durate. Paul Kuehnel/York Daily Record / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images 'The hostage was not struck once,' Barker added. Duarte was the recipient of a hero award from MADD in Colorado when he was an officer in Denver for his work enforcing drunk driving. Advertisement If Archangel-Ortiz lived, Barker said, he would have pursued 'a no-motive prosecution' and that the crazed gunman would have faced charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder. Even though the Archangel-Ortiz did not shoot Duarte, he directly caused his death through his actions, Barker said. 6 A picture of Andrew Durate in uniform when he was working in the Denver Police Department. AP Duarte's parents, Nancy Duarte Matarese and David Matarese, said they would not be seeking litigation in their son's death, agreeing with Barker that the responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of Archangel-Ortiz. Advertisement 'He's the person who came in with evil intentions,' the mother said. In a heartbreaking video, the mother mourned Andrew and held up a piece of paper from a journal where her slain son had handwritten down the kind of man he wanted to be. 'This is how he saw himself,' she said. 'I am a warrior,' the list read. 'I am part of a TEAM. I will never quit!'
CBS News
30-04-2025
- CBS News
Officer killed in gunman's York, Pennsylvania, hospital siege was hit by police fire, prosecutor says
An officer killed while responding to a Pennsylvania hospital siege was struck by a shotgun blast fired by police that also hit an armed man holding hostages, a prosecutor disclosed at a news conference Wednesday. The attacker and West York Patrolman Andrew W. Duarte were killed in the gunfire in York on Feb. 22, while several other people were injured. The shotgun blast also wounded a second officer responding to the intensive care unit, York County District Attorney Tim Barker said in announcing the results of his investigation. Barker called the officers heroes who ran into a dangerous situation, ready to risk their lives and save hostages. "I looked at every moment of video and I saw on every person's face that willingness to walk into, to run into the path of gunfire and potential death. They were willing to lay down their lives for every single person at that hospital," Barker said. He called their actions "100% justified and legally appropriate." The attack at UPMC Memorial Hospital occurred after the gunman learned from a doctor that the woman he lived with had died after treatment there, Barker told reporters. Duarte's last act was to run toward the threat, Chief Matthew Millsaps had said previously at Duarte's funeral. The attacker, Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, 49, had purchased zip ties and a knife that morning and used a gun stolen in 2017 from a neighboring county during the attack, Barker said. He said Archangel-Ortiz appeared to become nauseous when a doctor told him the woman had been moved to the hospital morgue. Moments later, he displayed a gun and announced: "This is what we're going to talk about," Barker said. Archangel-Ortiz shot the doctor, grazing his arm and piercing a jacket. The doctor fled from the ICU. What ensued was a chaotic series of events in which Archangel-Ortiz threatened hostages and patients and made one hospital worker zip tie others. A hospital worker who had been shot in the leg was able to flee and lock herself into a bathroom. Barker said Archangel-Ortiz also called his brother during the siege, telling him to clean up his home and give away his jewelry. "This is how I'm going out," Archangel-Ortiz told his brother, Barker said. Police tried to negotiate and de-escalate the crisis, Barker said, as they also organized teams at the intensive care doors and formulated a plan to have officers follow someone with a tactical shield into the unit. Some of the nurses who survived the attack have shared their accounts on social media, disclosing details about injuries and treatment and how the attack has haunted the survivors. Nurse Tosha Trostle said in a Facebook post she was held against him as a shield at gunpoint, arms zip-tied behind her back, as they walked through a doorway and encountered a phalanx of responding police officers. She said she begged Archangel-Ortiz to let her go and that he pushed the gun against her neck and spine. She heard gunshots and fell onto the floor under his body, then was able to get to safety.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Yahoo
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.
CBS News
23-02-2025
- CBS News
Denver police remember former DPD officer killed in shootout at Pennsylvania hospital
The Denver Police Department is mourning the loss of a former DPD officer killed in a shootout with a gunman in Pennsylvania Saturday. Officer Andrew Duarte served as a patrol officer in the Denver Police DUI Enforcement Unit from 2017 to 2022 and was a well loved member of the community. He received a hero award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving for his efforts to protect the public from impaired drivers and the Colorado Drug Recognition Expert Top Student Award while serving with the police department. DPD said Duarte was highly regarded for his work and developed close friendships with his teammates. Duarte moved to Pennsylvania and joined the West York Borough Police Department, where he served a little over two years. Authorities said he was fatally wounded Saturday in a shootout with Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, who reportedly entered UPMC Memorial Hospital's ICU unit armed with a pistol and carrying zip ties. Police said Archangel-Ortiz took hospital staff hostage. He reportedly shot three staffers, who suffered non-fatal injuries, as well as three officers, including Duarte. Officials said the other two officers are in stable condition, but Duarte and Archangel-Ortiz were killed in the shootout. Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge President Joseph Regan hailed Duarte as a hero, stating, "Officer Duarte's bravery and commitment to upholding the law are a testament to the selflessness shown daily by those who have dedicated themselves to protecting and serving." West York Borough shared a tribute to Duarte on Facebook, asking the community to come together as the city mourns. They encouraged community members to lay flowers at a makeshift memorial on the steps of the West York Borough Police Department.
Voice of America
23-02-2025
- Voice of America
Officer killed after gunman takes hostages at Pennsylvania hospital
A man armed with a pistol and carrying zip ties entered a Pennsylvania hospital's intensive care unit Saturday and took staff members hostage before he was killed by police in a shootout that also left an officer dead, authorities said. Three workers at UPMC Memorial Hospital, including a doctor, a nurse and a custodian, and two other officers were shot and wounded in the attack, York County District Attorney Tim Barker said. A fourth staffer was injured in a fall. Gunfire erupted after officers went to engage the shooter, whom Barker identified as Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, 49. He said Archangel-Ortiz was holding at gunpoint a female staff member who had her hands bound with zip ties when police opened fire. "This is a huge loss to our community," Barker said at a news conference following the shooting. "It is absolutely clear, and beyond any and all doubt, that the officers were justified in taking their action using deadly force." Barker added that while the investigation is in its early stages, it appears Archangel-Ortiz had previous contact with the hospital's ICU earlier in the week for "a medical purpose involving another individual" and he intentionally targeted the workers there. No one answered the door Saturday at an address in York believed to be that of Archangel-Ortiz. The officer who died was identified as Andrew Duarte of the West York Borough Police Department. "We all have broken hearts and are grieving at his loss," West York Borough Manager Shawn Mauck told The Associated Press. 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. "I have a type A personality and like to succeed in all that I do," his LinkedIn profile said. Duarte also worked as a patrol officer in Denver, was highly regarded for his work and was close friends with other officers, the department there said in a statement. At a makeshift memorial on the front steps of the West York Borough Police Department, Linda Shields dropped off roses Saturday and dabbed tears as she thought of her son, a police officer in Maryland. "He was so young," Shields said of Duarte. "It makes no sense at all." Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro called the attack on police and health care workers "the act of a coward." "Let it not be lost on anyone the act of extraordinary bravery and courage by the health care workers here, by the law enforcement professionals … who ran toward danger to keep people safe," Shapiro said. UPMC Memorial is a five-story, 104-bed hospital that opened in 2019 in York, a city of about 40,000 people known for its creation of York Peppermint Patties in 1940. The shooting is part 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 helped make health care one of the nation's most violent 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. In 2023, a shooter killed a security guard in the lobby of New Hampshire's state psychiatric hospital before being fatally shot by a state trooper. In 2022, a man killed two workers at a Dallas hospital while there to watch his child's birth. In May of that year, a man opened fire in a medical center waiting room in Atlanta, killing one woman and wounding four. And just one month later, a gunman killed his surgeon and three other people at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, medical office because he blamed the doctor for his continuing pain after an operation.
