The violence resulted in the death of West York Borough Police Officer Andrew Duarte, a six-year veteran of law enforcement, and left multiple individuals wounded. The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Diogenes Archangel Ortiz, was also killed in the confrontation.
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Authorities reported that Ortiz entered the hospital carrying a bag containing a handgun and zip ties before heading straight to the ICU.
Patients and visitors at UPMC Memorial Hospital described the terrifying moments leading up to the shooting. Jayden Robertson and his grandmother were visiting a family member when an announcement came over the intercom about an intruder with a weapon.
Initially, they assumed it was a minor security issue, but the situation quickly escalated. Robertson recalled looking out the window and seeing police cars arriving, with officers rushing to grab shields and firearms. “That’s when we realized how serious this was,” he said.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Betsy Small was visiting her mother when she heard strange noises and saw people running.
A woman over the intercom announced a lockdown, sending a wave of panic through the floor. “You never think it’s going to be a shooting, not in a hospital,” Small said. She took cover near a window while medical staff scrambled through the hallways.
For more than an hour, Small watched as nurses moved frantically, some in tears. Her daughter texted her at 11:41 a.m., informing her that the shooter had been “taken out.”
“UPMC is grateful to all the law enforcement officers, and to our staff who courageously ensured their own safety and the safety of our patients and visitors. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone exposed to this terrible event,” the hospital shared in part on Facebook.
State Senator Dawn Keefer and State Representative Seth Grove addressed the tragedy in a joint statement, expressing their sorrow over the events at UPMC Memorial Hospital.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at UPMC this morning. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and all those affected by this senseless act of violence,” they stated.
Despite the tragedy, authorities assured that no patients were harmed and the hospital is now secure. This harrowing event follows the fatal school shooting that occurred at Antioch High School on January 22, 2025.
Following the school shooting, the Metro Nashville Police Department shared the identity of the 16-year-old girl who was killed during the incident. The victim who was fatally wounded at the cafeteria of Antioch High School was identified as Josselin Corea Escalante.
She was shot alongside two other students. One of the two is a male student who suffered a graze to the arm and he was treated and released from Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Escalante’s dad, German Corea, is devasted by the loss of his daughter. “Every day I told her how much I loved her,” he said. Escalante was an older sister but still a daddy’s girl in his father’s eyes. Corea said his daughter played soccer and scored good grades. He noted that he never thought his loving and kind daughter would one day never make it home. “It’s not fair,” he mourned.
Maria Corea, Escalante’s aunt, is dumbfounded by her loss, noting that she was sent to school to get an education and a better future but her life has ended tragically. “Oh God. She was my girl. She was a very calm girl and well-behaved. She had good grades in school. She was a girl who loved her parents and all her family,” she shared.
Josselin Corea Escalante, from a post dated January 22, 2025 | Source: Facebook/NickBeresNC5
Escalante’s family has requested that the school enhance its security. They are not hopeful that things will change noting that every school shooting always has a similar story. Antioch High School hosted a vigil in honor of Escalante on the night of January 22.
The 17-year-old shooter was an active student at Antioch High School. He shot himself in the head and is deceased. Police have identified him as Solomon Henderson. The two school resource officers assigned to Antioch High School were located in a different part of the building when Henderson started shooting.
Upon hearing the shots, they swiftly rushed to the cafeteria, arriving just moments after Henderson had taken his own life. Authorities are now investigating concerning online writings and social media posts linked to Henderson.
They are also working with local, federal, and state agencies to determine the motive behind the gunfire in the school’s cafeteria. As investigations on the incident continue, so far the police have found no connection between the shooter and victims of the tragic incident. “It may be that they were struck by his random gunfire in the cafeteria,” the Metro Nashville Police Department said.
Chief John Drake of the Metro Nashville Police Department has also spoken out, “On behalf of this entire police department, I extend our deep condolences to Antioch High students, parents, and staff. Our officers and counselors will work to be part of the healing process in the days and weeks ahead.”
Dr. Adrienne Battle, Metro Nashville Public Schools’ director has condoled with the students, parents, and the entire Antioch High School community. Battle announced that the school would be closed for the rest of the week so that students and staff could have time to grieve.
She wrote in a statement, “I want to thank the school staff who quickly and heroically followed emergency protocols, potentially preventing further harm, as well as the Metro Nashville Police Department and Nashville Fire Department for their swift and urgent response.”
Battle promised that she was committed to understanding how and why such a tragedy happened so as to prevent another occurrence in the future.
She added, “It’s important to remember that our schools have historically been safe places for learning, friendship, and growth. We cannot allow this tragedy to overshadow the positive experiences of our 80,000 students.”
Battle also noted that the students and staff will get all the help they need to process this tragedy, including but not limited to grief support. She urged students, staff, counselors, and the Nashville community to come together so they could navigate the days and weeks ahead as one.
