Pennsylvania : In UPMC Memorial Hospital, West Manchester Township, Pennsylvania, a police officer is dead and five others injured following a shooting at a hospital in Pennsylvania on Wednesday. The gunman who opened fire inside a hospital in the town of West Hollywood earlier this week and took hostages has been identified as 49-year-old Diogenes Archangel Ortiz. Police fatally shot Ortiz after he held hospital staff hostage.
How It Unfolded
It all started on Saturday morning at approximately 10:30 AM when Ortiz arrived to the hospital with a semi-automatic gun and zip ties. He finally arrives in the ICU section, taking multiple medical staff hostage, resulting in a nightmare scenario for everyone present inside.
As officers were getting ready to confront the armed attacker, Ortiz held an ICU first staff member at gunpoint and demanded officers to back off. When he emerged into the hallway with the hostage, officers had no recourse but to fire and kill him immediately.
Victims and Injuries
The fallen hero was West York Borough Police Officer Andrew Duarte who was shot during the encounter. Two other officers were also injured but are reported to be in stable condition. An ICU doctor, a nurse and a hospital custodian were also injured by the gunman’s bullets and another hospital worker was injured in a fall.
Luckily, patients were not harmed during the attack. It is also a poignant reminder of the sacrifice that so many members of law enforcement make daily sacrifices as they put their lives on the line to protect their fellow citizens. We will never forget Officer Duarte’s sacrifice.
