A timeline of tragedy at UPMC Memorial Hospital shooting incident

On the morning of Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, the radios of York County fire departments had been, in a word despised by many superstitious first responders, quiet.

In the three hours that followed 7 a.m., firefighters responded to a medical emergency in York Township, a report of a vehicle fire on I-83 that found no blaze, and a medical emergency in Franklin Township.

At 10:23 a.m., a chief from Northern York County Fire & Rescue cleared his fire equipment after providing assistance on the medical call in Franklin Township.

While mundane and routine, this message was the last piece of radio traffic that aired across York County fire radios for the next 21 minutes, according to records from the Broadcastify archive.

10:35 a.m.: Gunman enters the hospital

During the quiet gap in fire radio transmissions between 10:23 a.m. and 10:44 a.m., a tragedy had begun.

At about 10:35 a.m., according to law enforcement, Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, 49, of York, walked into UPMC Memorial Hospital, carrying a bag containing zip ties and a semi-automatic handgun.

Then, according to York County District Attorney Tim Barker, Archangel-Ortiz made his way to the hospital’s ICU, where he took the staff hostage.

Inside the ICU, Archangel-Ortiz fired several shots and bound the hands of a nurse with zip ties, Barker said. His bullets struck a doctor, a nurse and a custodian. A fourth member of the staff was injured in a fall, trying to escape the gunfire.

UPMC police officers responded to the ICU and retreated after being fired upon by Archangel-Ortiz, Barker said.

As this unfolded, police were called to the scene, and departments across 10 jurisdictions began arriving at the hospital in the coming minutes, falling into formation outside the ICU.

“These men and women, knowing little more than a location and the fact there was active gunfire, rushed into the hospital to put a stop to the violence,” said West Manchester Township Police Chief John Snyder.

It’s not clear when police were first advised of the shooting, as police radio traffic is encrypted and not public. But not long after 10:44 a.m., when a fire department officer headed towards the scene, he was advised that police were already on the scene at the hospital.

When those first-arriving police officers tried to enter the ICU, Archangel-Ortiz leveled his gun at the officers and ordered them to retreat, which they did. They attempted to speak to the gunman to no avail, Barker said.

10:44 a.m.: “active threat”

Following the routine radio traffic at 10:23 a.m., the next sound that would air across the fire radios of the countless volunteer and career firefighters across York County came at 10:44 a.m., with a lengthy roar of the county’s alert tones.

These high and low pitch artificially generated sounds are intended to signal the pagers of specific fire and EMS departments, each with a unique tone.

With the number of tones that sounded – indicating the number of departments due on the call – many ears in firehouses around the county likely perked up.

Those tones were then followed by the robotic voice of the county’s automatic voice dispatch system, announcing a lineup of seven EMS units, West Manchester Township Fire Department, also known as fire station 50, and the county’s Mobile Command Unit, all due to respond to an “active threat.”

“Company 50, Mobile Command 91, EMS Company station 5-1, MICU 5-12, Intermediate 2-2, Medic 2-10, MICU 5-21, MICU 97-31, Intermediate 2-60, MICU 5-32, box 50-21, West Manchester Township, UPMC Memorial, 1701 Innovation Drive, Active threat, time out 10:44.”

As fire and EMS units headed to the hospital, a fire department officer was advised that police were already on the scene.

10:54 a.m.: Staging area established

At 10:54 a.m., the first officer of a fire department, a captain from the West Manchester Township Volunteer Fire Department, arrived on the scene at UPMC Memorial, and established a staging area for fire and EMS units at Roosevelt and Innovation drive.

10:58 a.m.: Request to block traffic

About four minutes after arriving, the captain requested fire police from multiple stations to the scene to shut down access to the parking lot of the hospital.

“I need all entrances to UPMC blocked,” he stated, while EMS units reported that bystanders were still entering the parking lots.

11:01 a.m.: EMS command established

Chief 97, from WellSpan EMS, arrived on the scene of the incident and assumed EMS command for the incident.

With multiple EMS units arriving to the scene, and five paramedic-staffed EMS units having already been at the hospital prior to the shooting, the EMS chief requested that dispatchers reroute any additional EMS units that were not yet on the scene to instead stage in the metro York City area, as the York area was depleted of EMS units due to the many units on the scene.

“If those units can stage in the metro area, that’s pretty drained right now,” the chief told dispatchers.

11:03 a.m.: First patient reported

Around 11:03 a.m., the EMS chief informed dispatch that they have one patient that has come out of the hospital.

“I have one patient with a gunshot to the arm that’s out,” the chief told dispatchers, adding that paramedics are tending to that victim.

11:13 a.m.: Shots fired

At approximately 11:13 a.m., according to accounts from the statements by Barker and the West Manchester Township Police Department, Archangel-Ortiz emerged from the ICU, holding a staffer at gunpoint, her hands bound with zip ties.

At that point, Barker said, officers had no choice and opened fire, killing Archangel-Ortiz and ending the hostage situation.

By the time those last shots were fired, five people – a doctor, a nurse, a custodian and two police officers – were wounded.

A third police officer, 30-year-old Andrew Duarte of the West York Borough Police Department, was killed.

Following this, while awaiting EMS units, state troopers applied a tourniquet to a wounded Northern York County Regional Police officer’s leg and provided lifesaving care.

11:14 a.m.: ‘Officer down’

Roughly 30 minutes since firefighters were dispatched, and 39 minutes since the time officials said Archangel-Ortiz entered the hospital, a conversation between the fire and EMS commands was cut off at approximately 11:14 a.m. by a dispatcher issuing a tone indicating a priority message.

“York to both commands with emergency traffic, reports of an officer down as well as the shooter down inside the hospital,” the dispatcher informed both the fire and EMS commands.

“OK York, do they want a crew in?” the EMS chief responded.

“Send all EMS in at this time, I repeat, send all EMS in at this time,” the dispatcher replied.

11:15 a.m.: More victims reported

As ambulances moved up towards the entrance to the hospital, the dispatcher advised the EMS chief of additional patients being reported.

“EMS command be advised, we have two officers hit by gunfire, and one subject, one of the individuals is going to be shot in the chest, unsure if that’s going to be the subject or that’s going to be an officer, I’ll update you,” the dispatcher stated.

Following this transmission, the EMS chief ordered additional units to hold in their secure positions rather than converge at the doors to the hospital.

“We don’t need everybody up there, we have three units up there, that’s enough for right now until we get more information,” the chief told his EMS units.

11:16 a.m.: EMS resources

With three EMS units moved up to the entrance to enter the hospital, the EMS chief then informed dispatchers that he still had five EMS transport units and one paramedic chase truck that were still in the secure staging area and were not yet assigned to a task.

11:17 a.m.: “Follow law enforcement”

The EMS chief advised his units that he needed two more EMS units to move up to the main entrance of the hospital.

“I need two more units to follow law enforcement, grab stretchers and equipment,” the chief said.

11:18 a.m.: EMS crews make patient contact

At approximately 11:18 a.m., MICU 97-31, one of the three EMS units that was sent into the hospital entrance at 11:16 a.m. informed EMS command that they were making patient contact inside the hospital.

The EMS chief then requested fire command to send fire crews up to the scene to assist with removing patients from the hospital.

11:21 a.m.: Trauma arrest

At 11:21 a.m., dispatchers were advised that crews had a “trauma arrest,” referring to a patient that is in cardiac arrest from a traumatic injury.

11:22 a.m.: More units requested

As crews worked to triage patients, the EMS chief requested three additional paramedic-staffed EMS transport units to the scene.

11:23 a.m.: Ambulances en route to trauma center

Around 11:23 a.m., MICU 97-31, the EMS unit that noted patient contact, informed command that they will be transporting their patient to WellSpan York Hospital with a gunshot wound to an extremity.

“We’re gonna have one patient en route to York, extremity GSW,” the unit told command.

“2-2 en route to YH,” said a second EMS unit, from Community LifeTeam, moments later, informing dispatchers that they are en route to WellSpan York as well.

EMS command then updated dispatchers that the two units were en route to WellSpan York.

“I have another with LifeTeam coming in, apparent gunshot wound to the leg, and MICU 97-31 will be en route with another gunshot victim,” the chief told dispatchers.

11:33 a.m.: Another patient en route to WellSpan York

Roughly an hour after the time officials said Archangel-Ortiz entered the hospital, a fourth patient was sent to WellSpan York Hospital, by another EMS transport unit, MICU 2-81, who advised dispatchers they were headed to WellSpan York with a “class 2” patient – referring to the classification for a serious but not immediately life-threatening injury.

By the end of the day on Saturday, WellSpan York would confirm in a statement that the hospital received five patients from the shooting.

12:30 p.m.: UPMC confirms shooting at UPMC Memorial

“We have received confirmed reports of a gunman at UPMC Memorial, and shots fired. The gunman is deceased, and no patients have been injured. The hospital is now secure. Law enforcement is on premises and is managing the situation,” a statement from UPMC read around 12:30 p.m.

1:10 p.m.: Gov. Shapiro makes statement on shooting

“I’ve been briefed on the tragic shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York County and I am on my way to the scene. The hospital is now secure and members of the [PA State Police] and [PEMA] are on the ground responding alongside our local and federal partners. Follow the direction of local authorities and stay clear of the area. We will share more updates as they become available,” read the tweet from the governor at 1:10 p.m.

1:11 p.m.: Fire and EMS command terminates

Around 1:11 p.m. and with all patients transported, fire command informed dispatchers that fire units would be going available from the scene. A few moments prior to this, EMS command released all remaining EMS units on the scene, and informed dispatchers that the units that transported victims to hospitals would be returning to debrief.

As fire and EMS chiefs terminated the fire and EMS command for the incident, numerous law enforcement agencies remained on the scene investigating the shooting for many hours to come.

Fire police remained on scene blocking the entrances to the parking lot for some time, before West Manchester Township crews brought barricades to block the roadways.

1:19 p.m.: Officials give first press conference on shooting

During the first press conference at the incident, York County spokesperson Ted Czech told reporters that the threat was neutralized and that a hotline was established for those connected with any patients, employees or visitors who may have been inside of the hospital.

2:08 p.m.: West York confirms line of duty death

The first confirmation of the loss of officer Duarte came at 2:08 p.m., when West York borough announced the line of duty death of Duarte.

“Our prayers and deepest condolences go out to West York Borough Police Officer, Andrew Duarte’s family and all of our brothers and sisters in the West York Borough Police Department that have lost a comrade and friend, and furthermore our fellow Borough agencies that have lost a colleague. Our community grieves the loss of a hero,” the post said.

4 p.m.: Shapiro, Barker hold press conference

During a press briefing around 4 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, York County District Attorney Timothy Barker provided the public with the first official account of the shooting that took place inside the hospital, announcing that Archangel-Ortiz “targeted” the ICU and its staff after previously having an encounter with them over the medical care of someone he knew in the ICU, and that he had taken hospital personnel hostage.

Gov. Josh Shapiro, appearing at the press briefing, lauded “the extraordinary bravery and courage” demonstrated by health care workers and law enforcement.

Tim Barker details UPMC hostage situation that led to death of officer

DA Time Bark explains how West York Police Officer Andrew Duarte was killed during a hostage standoff at UPMC Memorial Hospital.

“Here in York County,” the governor said, “we saw the very best and the very worst of humanity.”

The governor said, “Officer Duarte was one of the best of us. He is to be commended for a life of service, albeit one cut too short. He lived a life of service, meaning and purpose.”

7 p.m.: Vigil held for officer Duarte

As the sun set over a dark Saturday, mourners gathered at the West York Borough Police Department to hold a vigil for the department’s fallen officer.

Vigil to remember West York Police Officer Andrew Duarte

Rev. James Dinger and West York borough manager Shawn Mock remember Officer Andrew Duarte and offer prayers and support after hospital shooting.

Hundreds of flowers were left on the steps of the department as crowds made a circle and lit candles in memory of the fallen officer.

At the vigil, the Rev. James Dinger told the crowd that they were there to honor “an officer who stepped literally into the line of fire, and sacrificed himself for the good of others, and for our community.”

“Tonight,” said the reverend, “we remember officer Andrew Duarte.”

(This story was updated to change or add a video.)

Reporter Mike Argento contributed to this report.