Officer Killed After Gunman Takes Hospital Staff Hostage in Pennsylvania

A West York Borough police officer and an armed suspect died in a shootout at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York County, Pennsylvania, after the gunman took hospital staff hostage in the intensive care unit (ICU) Saturday morning. The incident left three hospital workers and two additional officers wounded, according to officials.

Newsweek reached out to the West York Borough Police Department via online form on Saturday for comment.

The Context

UPMC Memorial is a five-story, 104-bed hospital that opened in 2019 in York, a city of approximately 40,000 people known for the creation of the beloved York Peppermint Patties candy in 1940.

The shooting represents another incident in a concerning pattern of violence targeting U.S. healthcare facilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), healthcare workers face more nonfatal injuries from workplace violence than any other profession, highlighting growing security challenges for medical centers nationwide.

What To Know

York County District Attorney Tim Barker said UPMC officers were first to respond when Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, 49, opened fire in the ICU. According to Barker, three staff members were shot: a doctor who was grazed by gunfire, along with a nurse and a custodian, who are both in stable condition. A fourth staff member was injured in a fall, not from gunfire.

Barker explained that when law enforcement attempted to engage the gunman and breach the ICU, Archangel-Ortiz was holding a staff member at gunpoint and ordered police to retreat. After officers complied and attempted discussion, Barker said the gunman emerged into the hallway holding a staff member whose hands were bound with zip ties at gunpoint. At this point, officers opened fire, killing Archangel-Ortiz.

During the armed confrontation, Barker confirmed that three officers were shot: one from Northern York County Regional Police Department and another from Springettsbury Township Police Department – both in stable condition – and Wof the West York Borough Police Department, who was killed.

Barker also noted that Archangel-Ortiz had previous contact with the hospital’s ICU earlier in the week regarding “a medical purpose involving another individual,” suggesting the attack was targeted.

What People Are Saying

York County District Attorney Tim Barker said in a statement: “It is absolutely clear and beyond any and all doubt that the officers were justified in taking their action and using deadly force. Quite frankly, they needed to use deadly force because by doing so they potentially saved even more lives, even as they lost one of their own.”

West York Borough Manager Shawn Mauck told the Associated Press: “We all have broken hearts and are grieving at his loss.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro thanked officers on-duty during the shooting on X: “Their willingness to run toward danger helped save the lives of others.”

Shapiro added: “I’m grateful to them and all law enforcement who answered the call today in York.”

What Happens Next

The Pennsylvania State Police Troop J Major Case Team is investigating the shooting. The hospital has established hotlines (717-849-5338 and 717-849-5334) for patients’ families seeking information.