The quiet streets of York, Pennsylvania, were shattered on February 22, 2025, when a senseless act of violence claimed the life of West York Borough Police Officer Andrew Duarte, a dedicated law enforcement veteran who had served his community with honor. Officer Duarte, just 30 years old, was killed in the line of duty while responding to a hostage crisis at UPMC Memorial Hospital in West Manchester Township. His death has left a community in mourning, his family devastated, and his fellow officers grappling with the loss of a comrade whose courage defined his final moments. The tragedy unfolded in the hospital’s intensive care unit, where a gunman, identified as 49-year-old Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, unleashed chaos that would end with two lives lost and several others forever changed.

The incident began shortly after 10:30 a.m. when Archangel-Ortiz entered the hospital carrying a semi-automatic handgun and zip ties, items that hinted at a premeditated plan. He made his way directly to the ICU, a place he had visited earlier that week for reasons tied to a family member’s medical care. There, he took several staff members hostage, including a nurse whom he would later hold at gunpoint with her hands bound. As panic spread through the facility, hospital workers—a doctor, a nurse, and a custodian—were struck by gunfire, their lives hanging in the balance as law enforcement rushed to intervene. A fourth employee suffered injuries after falling amid the chaos, a testament to the terror that gripped the hospital in those harrowing minutes.

Officer Duarte, alongside colleagues from multiple agencies including the Springettsbury Township and Northern York County Regional Police Departments, confronted the gunman in a desperate bid to save lives. The situation escalated when Archangel-Ortiz emerged from the ICU, still clutching his hostage. Faced with no alternative, police opened fire, killing the suspect and ending the immediate threat. But the victory came at a devastating cost. Duarte was fatally wounded in the exchange, succumbing to his injuries at WellSpan York Hospital by 12:19 p.m. Two other officers were also shot, though both are expected to recover, their survival a small glimmer of hope amid the tragedy.

Details emerging in the days since paint a picture of a deeply troubled man driven by personal anguish. Authorities have revealed that Archangel-Ortiz’s actions may have been fueled by frustration over the treatment—or perceived lack thereof—of a loved one who had recently died after being cared for in the ICU. This loss, compounded by his inability to accept their terminal condition, appears to have propelled him toward a targeted act of violence against the very staff he held responsible. While investigators continue to piece together his motives, the York County District Attorney has emphasized that the officers’ use of deadly force was justified, a decision supported by surveillance footage and witness accounts that underscore the imminent danger posed by the gunman.

Andrew Duarte was more than a casualty in this grim narrative; he was a man of service whose life was marked by dedication. Before joining the West York Borough Police Department in 2022, he spent five years with the Denver Police Department in Colorado, earning a Mothers Against Drunk Driving hero award in 2021 for his work combating impaired driving.

His LinkedIn profile spoke of a driven individual with a passion for protecting others, a trait that shone through until his final breath. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, speaking at a press conference, hailed Duarte as “one of the best of us,” a sentiment echoed by a community now gathering to honor his memory with flowers and candles outside the West York Administration Office.
The aftermath has left UPMC Memorial Hospital, a 104-bed facility opened in 2019, reeling but resolute. No patients were harmed, a fact officials attribute to the swift response of law enforcement and the bravery of hospital staff who endured unimaginable fear to protect those in their care. The wounded employees—a doctor grazed by a bullet, a nurse, and a custodian—are now stable, their recovery a priority as the hospital works to heal its own wounds. Meanwhile, the investigation, led by the Pennsylvania State Police, presses forward, seeking answers to ensure such a tragedy does not repeat.

For York, a city of about 40,000 known for its quieter charms like the York Peppermint Pattie, this incident is a stark reminder of how quickly peace can unravel. As flags across Pennsylvania fly at half-staff, ordered by Governor Shapiro in Duarte’s honor, the community stands united in grief and gratitude—grieving a hero lost and thanking those who ran toward danger when others could not. Officer Andrew Duarte’s sacrifice will not be forgotten, his legacy etched into the hearts of those he swore to protect.