Pennsylvania officials have identified the gunman who entered a York County hospital with a handgun and zip ties, held staffers at gunpoint, and died when law enforcement opened fire to protect those staffers.
West York Borough police officer Andrew Duarte was killed in the shoot out, the borough said in a statement on Facebook.
York County District Attorney Timothy Baker identified the gunman as Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz and said in a news conference that the gunman’s attack appeared to have been targeted, taking place in the hospital ICU.
No patients were injured in the shooting, however, UPMC York Hospital said in a statement.
Baker said that three hospital staffers — a doctor, a nurse, and a custodian — and three law enforcement officers were shot. The medical staff and two of the officers are in stable condition, he said, but Duarte — the third officer — was killed.
Archangel-Ortiz held staffers hostage and fired at hospital police before multiple law enforcement agencies responded, the district attorney said. When law enforcement arrived and attempted to engage the suspect, he ordered the officers back while holding a staffer and gunpoint.
The officers retreated and attempted to negotiate with him, but he came out, still holding the staffer at gunpoint, with her “hands tied with the aforementioned zipties.” The officers responded and shot and killed the suspect.
Investigators have not speculated on a motive for the shooting, but Baker said that the police response was warranted to save lives.
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[Featured image: WHP]
