Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, the 49-year-old gunman who opened fire at the UPMC Memorial Hospital in Pennsylvania after taking staff hostage in a ferocious attack, was “simply broken” after discovering that a loved one had passed away in the intensive care unit.
He stormed the Pennsylvania hospital while being armed with zip ties and a revolve, killing one officer and wounding five others. He was later shot dead by cops.
York hospital doctor opens up about Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz
In a long Facebook post, Lestor Mendoza, a doctor at the York hospital, spoke about Archangel-Ortiz, revealing that “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,” Mendoza added.
Opening up about the gunman's pain, the doctor explained that he saw his devastation firsthand. “In that moment, I truly did not see a monster. He was simply broken,” he wrote.
He revealed that he shared his own personal experience of loss with Archangel-Ortiz.
{{/usCountry}}He revealed that he shared his own personal experience of loss with Archangel-Ortiz.
{{/usCountry}}According to him, they 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.”
Mendoza further stated that he would have never anticipated or thought of him committing something like this. The doctor, however, stressed that loneliness, weariness, grief, and a lack of social and mental health support services cause gaps that people can fall through. “And when they do, the consequences can be catastrophic.”
Also Read: Hospital where gunman took hostages remains closed to visitors as injured reported stable
Prosecutors refuse to reveal Archangel-Ortiz's relationship with person
This revelation comes after prosecutors acknowledged that the defendant seemed to have contacted the intensive care unit “for a medical purpose involving another person,” but they refrained from providing any additional information.
Citing privacy concerns, prosecutors refused to reveal Archangel-Ortiz's relationship with the individual.
Authorities confirmed that two officers, a doctor, a nurse, and a caretaker were shot and injured during the horrific incident. However, there were no injuries to patients.