A Pennsylvania police officer was killed in a shootout with a man who stormed a hospital intensive care unit, took hostages and began shooting hospital staff.
The suspect Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz and West York Borough Police Officer Andrew Duarte were killed in the shootout. Two other officers were injured as were a nurse and a custodian. All are listed in stable condition. A doctor's wound was described as a graze wound.
"This is a huge loss to our community," York County District Attorney Tim Barker said. "In reviewing all of that evidence, it is absolutely clear that the officers were justified in taking their action in using deadly force. They potentially saved even more lives even as they lost one of their own."
The incident began just after 10:30 a.m. Saturday when Archangel-Ortiz, armed with a handgun and carrying zip ties, entered the ICU of UPMC Memorial Hospital in West Manchester Township. Once there he attempted to take hostages and opened fire on hospital staff, injuring the nurse, custodian and doctor, Barker said.
Barker said that numerous law enforcement agencies descended on the hospital and that they created a formation to breach the ICU and stop Archangel-Ortiz. During this maneuver, Archangel-Ortiz emerged with a hostage holding a gun to their head and told law enforcement to get back.
Barker said police did back up and attempted to negotiate with Archangel-Ortiz. Later, Archangel-Ortiz again emerged into the hallway with a hospital staff person zip-tied and holding a gun to the person's head. It was at this time that gunfire erupted. Archangel-Ortiz and Duarte were killed in the exchange and two other officers were injured.
"They showed great bravery, great heroism; they are the reason we are safe and can function," Barker said of law enforcement's response to the hostage-taking.
"We saw the very best and the very worst of humanity," Pennsylvannia Gov. Josh Shapiro said, calling Archangel-Ortiz's behavior "the act of a coward."
Barker said the incident was still under investigation, but he said that Archangel-Ortiz had had interactions with the ICU concerning another person over the last week. Barker said he believed the ICU was specifically targeted.
Originally published on Lawyer Herald
