UPMC physician assistant speaks out

OVERNIGHT. WE’RE FOLLOWING BREAKING NEWS OUT OF YORK COUNTY TONIGHT WHERE A POLICE OFFICER HAS DIED AND SIX OTHERS ARE INJURED AFTER AN ACTIVE SHOOTER TOOK EMPLOYEES HOSTAGE THIS AFTERNOON AT THE UPMC MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. WE’RE TAKING A LIVE LOOK OUTSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL NOW, BUT THIS VIDEO FROM NEWS 8 VIEWER SHOWS THE SCENE EARLIER TODAY WHEN POLICE RAN INTO THE BUILDING TO RESPOND TO THE THREAT. THE YORK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY TELLS US THAT GUNMAN IS ALSO DEAD. WELCOME TO NEWS EIGHT AT SIX. I’M KEN ALEXANDER AND I’M MICHAEL FULLER. NOW, GOVERNOR SHAPIRO AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE CALLING FOR THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER. HERE’S WHAT WE’VE LEARNED SO FAR ABOUT THE INCIDENT THAT LASTED ROUGHLY 40 MINUTES OR SO. AT 1035 THIS MORNING, 49 YEAR OLD YANNIS ARCANGEL ORTIZ WALKED INTO THE UPMC MEMORIAL HOSPITAL CARRYING A BAG WITH A SEMIAUTOMATIC HANDGUN AND ZIP TIES. HE THEN MADE HIS WAY TO THE ICU AND ZIP TIED THE HANDS OF SEVERAL HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES, HOLDING THEM HOSTAGE. NOW, DURING THE ATTACK ARC, ANGEL ORTIZ SHOT THREE PEOPLE THAT WAS A DOCTOR, A NURSE AND A CUSTODIAN. AND A FOURTH PERSON WAS ALSO HURT WHEN THEY FELL DURING THE ATTACK. SHORTLY AFTER, ORTIZ ENTERED THE ICU, UPMC OFFICERS RESPONDED AND MADE A FORMATION TO BREACH THE UNIT. THE SHOOTER THEN HELD A STAFF MEMBER AT GUNPOINT, AT WHICH POINT OFFICERS BEGAN NEGOTIATING WITH THE MAN IN AN ATTEMPT TO DISARM HIM. THE ENCOUNTER ENDED IN A GUN BATTLE WHEN ARCANGEL ORTIZ WAS SHOT AND KILLED. THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WERE ALSO HIT, INCLUDING OFFICER ANDREW DUARTE FROM THE WEST YORK BOROUGH POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHO WAS KILLED. THE YORK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS HE IS POSITIVE THAT OFFICERS WERE JUSTIFIED WITH THEIR USE OF DEADLY FORCE, AND SAYS THIS WAS A TARGETED ATTACK ON THE ICU, WHICH ARCANGEL ORTIZ VISITED EARLIER IN THE WEEK FOR A MEDICAL PURPOSE INVOLVING ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL. AND WE HAVE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE, STARTING WITH NEWS EIGHT’S JAKE REYES AND JAKE WALK US THROUGH. HOW ARE PEOPLE REACTING TO THIS INCIDENT TONIGHT? WELL, YEAH, MICHAEL, BECAUSE THE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WAS ON LOCKDOWN, FAMILY MEMBERS OF STAFF AND PATIENTS WERE TOLD TO WAIT RIGHT HERE AT THE OS HEALTH BUILDING UNTIL THEY ARE CLEARED TO MEET UP WITH THEIR LOVED ONES. AND THEY TOLD ME SEEING DOZENS OF POLICE VEHICLES JUST A FEW HUNDRED YARDS FROM WHERE THEY WERE STANDING RIGHT HERE IN THIS PARKING LOT WAS TERRIFYING TO WATCH. WHILE NOT IMMEDIATELY KNOWING IF THEIR FAMILY IS OKAY. NOW, ONE WOMAN HERE SAYS SHE WAS WAITING FOR HER GIRLFRIEND, WHO WORKS IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT. SHE SAYS THE SHOOTER POINTED A GUN AT HER GIRLFRIEND, BUT SHE MANAGED TO ESCAPE WITHOUT HARM WHEN A COWORKER PULLED HER OUT OF THE WAY, ANOTHER WOMAN TOLD ME HER GRANDMOTHER IS A PATIENT SICK WITH SPINAL STENOSIS AND IS TRYING TO GET FEELING BACK IN HER RIGHT LEG. SHE SAYS SHE SEES HER GRANDMA EVERY DAY, SO SHE WAS HORRIFIED TO LEARN THAT HER GRANDMOTHER HEARD GUNSHOTS IN THE FLOOR BELOW HER. AFTER HEARING LOCKDOWN CODES. HER GRANDMOTHER’S THERAPIST LOCKED DOWN THE ROOM AND THE TWO WERE NOT HURT. I ALSO SPOKE WITH THE HUSBAND OF A NURSE AND HE SAYS HE IS. HE WAS GETTING AN OIL CHANGE WHEN HE GOT A TEXT FROM HIS WIFE. SHE SAID THAT SHE LOVED ME AND THAT SHE DIDN’T KNOW IF SHE WAS GOING TO MAKE IT OUT, AND WAS JUST SITTING THERE WITH MY CAR ON A LIFT, NOT BEING ABLE TO REALLY DO MUCH, AND GOT SECURITY WHENEVER SHE CALLED ME. WHEN I WALKED OUT AND SAID THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO GET OUT AND SHE WAS IN THE HANDS OF THE POLICE, BUT STILL A LITTLE SHAKEN UP MYSELF. IT’S BEEN A NOT A DAY THAT YOU EXPECT. AND ALL OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS SAID TO ME THE FIRST THING THEY ARE GOING TO DO WHEN THEY SEE THEIR LOVED ONES AGAIN IS GIVE THEM A LONG HUG. NOW, FAMILIES HERE ARE STILL VERY UPSET ABOUT THE SECURITY OF THE HOSPITAL AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE SHOOTER WAS ABLE TO GET TO AN AREA WHERE PATIENTS ARE SEEN. AND AT THIS TIME, IT IS NOT CLEAR IF THE HOSPITAL HAS METAL DETECTORS. MCKENNA AND MICHAEL. YEAH, JAKE. NOW, I KNOW WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT HOW SO MANY PEOPLE WERE FRUSTRATED BY THIS RESPONSE. AFTER LEARNING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION, DOES THAT SENSE STILL LINGER? ARE PEOPLE GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSURE? THEY’RE STILL VERY UPSET EVEN AFTER, YOU KNOW, LEARNING ABOUT THAT INVESTIGATION, MCKENNA, THAT POLICE ARE STILL OBVIOUSLY ONGOING WITH RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY’RE STILL VERY UPSET JUST BECAUSE THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS STILL HAD TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION. AND JUST GET THE TEXTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I MEAN, VERY, VERY LIKELY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY ONE OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WERE HURT IN THIS INCIDENT. AND WE OBVIOUSLY DO KNOW THAT SIX WERE HURT AND A POLICE OFFICER WAS KILLED. SO JUST KNOWING THAT DESPITE THE INVESTIGATION STILL ONGOING AND THE POLICE RESPONSE, IT WAS STILL A VERY TERRIFYING THING TO HEAR AND GET A TEXT FROM, FROM YOUR WIFE SAYING, LOOK, I’M IN A SITUATION WHERE I MAY NOT MAKE IT. ALL RIGHT. THANKS, JAKE. NOW, AS JAKE JUST MENTIONED, A POLICE OFFICER WAS SHOT AND KILLED WHILE RESPONDING TO THE SITUATION AT THE HOSPITAL. YEAH. NEWS EIGHT’S TAYLOR HESS CONTINUES OUR LIVE TEAM COVERAGE FROM THE WEST YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH HOW OFFICER ANDREW DUARTE IS BEING REMEMBERED. TAYLOR. YEAH. MCKENNA AND MICHAEL. JUST HOURS AFTER THIS TRAGEDY, A BEAUTIFUL MEMORIAL LINES THE BOROUGH’S POLICE DEPARTMENT. AS MANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY REMEMBER, OFFICER ANDREW DUARTE. IN THE PAST HOUR, DOZENS OF PEOPLE HAVE PLACED FLOWERS HERE IN HONOR OF OFFICER DUARTE, WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED INSIDE UPMC MEMORIAL HOSPITAL EARLIER TODAY. BOROUGH MANAGER SEAN MOCK SAYS THE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO THE INCIDENT TODAY AS MUTUAL AID, WHICH LATER RESULTED IN THEM LOSING ONE OF THEIR OFFICERS. HE ASKS EVERYONE TO COME TOGETHER IN SOLIDARITY, SOLIDARITY AND RESPECT AND PRAYER AT THIS TIME AS THEY REMEMBER THE LIFE OF THEIR BROTHER, ANDREW DUARTE. ANDREW IS A BRIGHT YOUNG MAN. WE CONSIDER HIM A FRIEND, YOU KNOW. WE ALL WORK TOGETHER, YOU KNOW. HE LIKED TO LAUGH. HE HE ENJOYED SERVICING OUR COMMUNITY. HE’S BEEN AN OUTSTANDING MEMBER OF THIS DEPARTMENT SINCE 2022. AND HE’LL BE SORELY MISSED. WE ALSO KNOW MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL BE COMING HERE AT 7 P.M. TO HONOR OFFICER DUARTE BY LIGHTING CANDLES TOGETHER. NOW, THAT DEPARTMENT IS NOW LOST. LEFT WITH A GAPING HOLE AFTER LOSING THAT FALLEN OFFICER. LIVE IN YORK. TAYLOR HESS, WGAL NEWS EIGHT. YEAH. TAYLOR. ALTHOUGH HE’S AN OFFICER, NO ONE IMAGINES GETTING UP, GOING INTO WORK, AND NOT RETURNING HOME TO YOUR FAMILY. SO PRAYING FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY. THAT WAS ALSO SOMETHING THEY MENTIONED DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY. I BELIEVE SOMEONE WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, HE RAN INTO THE FIRE SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO RUN OUT. SO REALLY, REALLY HONORABLE SERVICE THERE. THANKS, TAYLOR. TAKING A LIVE LOOK IN HARRISBURG NOW FOLLOWING TODAY’S DEADLY SHOOTING, GOVERNOR SHAPIRO HAS ORDERED THE UNITED STATES AND COMMONWEALTH FLAGS TO FLY AT HALF STAFF IMMEDIATELY IN HONOR OF FALLEN POLICE OFFICER ANDREW DUARTE. YEAH, WE’RE LEARNING MORE TONIGHT ABOUT WEST YORK BOROUGH POLICE OFFICER ANDREW DUARTE. WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT HIS LINKEDIN PAGE, IT SHOWS HE SERVED AS A POLICE OFFICER FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS. NOW, BEFORE WORKING IN WEST YORK, HE WAS AN OFFICER WITH THE DENVER POLICE DEPARTMENT. HE COMPLETED DRUG RECOGNITION EXPERT SCHOOL IN 2019 AND WAS AWARDED AS THE TOP STUDENT FOR OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. AND IN 2021, HE RECEIVED THE MAD HERO AWARD FOR HIS WORK IN IMPAIRED DRIVING ENFORCEMENT. HE WAS CERTIFIED AS A PENNSYLVANIA POLICE OFFICER IN 2022 AT HARRISBURG AREA COLLEGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND HE BEGAN HIS SERVICE WITH THE WEST YORK BOROUGH POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND THAT WAS IN JUNE OF 2022. SO MUCH HONOR THERE. NOW, PENNSYLVANIA ATTORNEY GENERAL DAVE SUNDAY TOOK TO X TODAY, WRITING, I AM ON SCENE AT UPMC MEMORIAL IN YORK OFFERING SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO MY COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS DURING THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY. AS CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOR PENNSYLVANIA. IT IS A HORRIBLE DAY SEEING SUCH SENSELESS VIOLENCE IMPACT MY COMMUNITY. YEAH. MCKENNA. THOSE SENTIMENTS CONTINUE WITH PENNSYLVANIA SENATOR JOHN FETTERMAN. HE POSTED ON X IN RESPONSE TO THE SHOOTING, SAYING, QUOTE, THIS IS A SENSELESS SHOOTING AT UPMC MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN YORK, MY HOMETOWN. A PLACE OF HEALING TURNED INTO A TRAGEDY. HE WENT ON TO SAY, MY FAMILY GRIEVES FOR THE FAMILY OF THE HEROIC WEST YORK BOROUGH POLICE OFFICER, ANDRE

UPMC physician assistant says he told hospital shooter his loved one had died

Updated: 9:05 PM EST Feb 24, 2025

ABOVE: Latest details in deadly hospital shootingLester Mendoza, a physician assistant at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York, said he helped tell the shooter a loved one had passed days before the shooting. Related: Officer killed, multiple people hurt in shooting at UPMC Memorial in YorkMendoza took to Facebook on Sunday to call for changes in the healthcare industry and to share his story of interacting with the shooter, Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, days before he held staff hostage and shot three people.”I spoke with the very man who did this act, interacting with him multiple days. I was there when we delivered the worst news imaginable to him — that his loved one was gone. I saw his devastation firsthand. In that moment, I truly did not see a monster. He was simply broken. Just the day prior, my colleague and I shared our own personal memories of experience of loss with this man. We developed a human connection as he showed us pictures of his loved one, an engagement gift of a beautiful pink and white necklace and watch, which I thanked him for sharing and he thanked me for sharing mine. I would have never imagined or expected him to do something like this. But grief, exhaustion, isolation, and a lack of mental health and social support services create cracks that people fall through. And when they do, the consequences can be catastrophic.”Related: Mom of officer killed in Pennsylvania hospital shooting shares heartbreakMendoza also spoke of the stressors of being expected to provide limitless care with limited resources, and how doing so ultimately fails patients. “Burnout isn’t just a buzzword — it’s the slow erosion of our ability to feel, to connect, to care the way we once did. The longer we are stretched thin, the more we risk becoming numb, jaded, and detached — not because we don’t care, but because we are drowning.”Investigators said Archangel-Ortiz was shot by police while he was holding a person hostage at gunpoint.Three officers were also struck by gunfire. West York Officer Andrew Duarte died at a hospital.Mendoza thanked Duarte for his sacrifice that prevented additional losses and police for responding to the incident “when things were too far gone.” “We are all suffering. And if we continuously ignore it, and accept it as the normal, there will be no positive growth or change,” said Mendoza. His full post on Facebook can be read here.

YORK, Pa. —

ABOVE: Latest details in deadly hospital shooting

Lester Mendoza, a physician assistant at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York, said he helped tell the shooter a loved one had passed days before the shooting.

Related: Officer killed, multiple people hurt in shooting at UPMC Memorial in York

Mendoza took to Facebook on Sunday to call for changes in the healthcare industry and to share his story of interacting with the shooter, Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, days before he held staff hostage and shot three people.

“I spoke with the very man who did this act, interacting with him multiple days. I was there when we delivered the worst news imaginable to him — that his loved one was gone. I saw his devastation firsthand. In that moment, I truly did not see a monster. He was simply broken. Just the day prior, my colleague and I shared our own personal memories of experience of loss with this man. We developed a human connection as he showed us pictures of his loved one, an engagement gift of a beautiful pink and white necklace and watch, which I thanked him for sharing and he thanked me for sharing mine. I would have never imagined or expected him to do something like this. But grief, exhaustion, isolation, and a lack of mental health and social support services create cracks that people fall through. And when they do, the consequences can be catastrophic.”

Related: Mom of officer killed in Pennsylvania hospital shooting shares heartbreak

Mendoza also spoke of the stressors of being expected to provide limitless care with limited resources, and how doing so ultimately fails patients.

“Burnout isn’t just a buzzword — it’s the slow erosion of our ability to feel, to connect, to care the way we once did. The longer we are stretched thin, the more we risk becoming numb, jaded, and detached — not because we don’t care, but because we are drowning.”

Investigators said Archangel-Ortiz was shot by police while he was holding a person hostage at gunpoint.

Three officers were also struck by gunfire. West York Officer Andrew Duarte died at a hospital.

Mendoza thanked Duarte for his sacrifice that prevented additional losses and police for responding to the incident “when things were too far gone.”

“We are all suffering. And if we continuously ignore it, and accept it as the normal, there will be no positive growth or change,” said Mendoza.

His full post on Facebook can be read here.