Crime
Photo of York County UPMC Memorial shooting suspect revealed
York, PA – In the days leading up to the tragic shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital, a physician assistant at the facility recalled delivering devastating news to Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, the 49-year-old gunman who later took hostages and opened fire, killing West York Borough Police Officer Andrew Duarte and injuring five others.
Certified physician assistant Lester Mendoza described his interactions with Archangel-Ortiz over multiple days, recalling how he and a colleague had informed the man of the death of a loved one.
“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,” Mendoza wrote in a social media post following the attack.
Mendoza further detailed a deeply human interaction he had with Archangel-Ortiz just a day before the shooting.
“My colleague and I shared our own personal experiences 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. He thanked me for sharing mine.”
Despite their conversations, Mendoza admitted he never anticipated that Archangel-Ortiz would carry out such a violent act.
“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,” he wrote. “No one should feel so unheard or unsupported that they resort to violence. No nurse, no doctor, no provider should have to fear for their life at work. And yet, here we are.”
Mendoza condemned the healthcare system, calling it broken and stating that it is failing both patients and providers.
Newly obtained court records shed light on Archangel-Ortiz’s criminal past, revealing a history of domestic violence.
In October 2016, police arrested Archangel-Ortiz for assaulting his then-girlfriend, hitting her in the back of the head with a wine glass while both were intoxicated.
Neighbors, who had alerted authorities, reported hearing him shout, “I’m going to kill you, b**,”* according to police reports.
Following the incident, his girlfriend obtained a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order against him. Archangel-Ortiz later pleaded guilty to violating that order, as well as to a harassment charge stemming from the same assault.
Despite his criminal record, those who knew Archangel-Ortiz before the shooting described him as a complex individual who battled lifelong depression.
A former girlfriend said he was “friendly and kind” but struggled with mental health issues.
As authorities continue to investigate the motive behind Saturday’s hospital attack, the community of York remains in mourning over the loss of Officer Andrew Duarte.
His mother, Nancy Duarte Matarese, described the overwhelming dread she felt as she was escorted into a family room at WellSpan York Hospital, located not far from the scene of the shooting.
“I thought to myself, ‘This isn’t good, because if he was still with us, they would take me to him,’” she recalled. “I had the feeling that Andrew had been called to his eternal home with the Lord, and that he wasn’t here with us anymore.”
Her fears were soon confirmed—her only child had been killed in the line of duty.
Less than 24 hours later, Duarte Matarese visited a growing memorial outside the West York Borough Police Department, where flowers, candles, and balloons were placed in honor of her son.
“He had a warrior heart and a warrior spirit,” she said.
Authorities believe Archangel-Ortiz’s attack was deliberate. York County District Attorney Tim Baker stated that the shooter had visited the ICU earlier in the week for a medical-related issue involving another individual.
“Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz did appear to have contact previously in the week with the ICU for a medical purpose involving another individual,” Baker said.
The shock and devastation of the hospital shooting has left many in the community reeling.
Tad Pequignot, whose wife works in the ICU at UPMC Memorial, recalled the terrifying moment he received a text message from her during the ordeal.
“[I] got a text from my wife who works in the ICU. And she said that she loved me and that she didn’t know if she was going to make it out,” Pequignot said.
For longtime York resident Mary Eck, the shooting shattered a sense of security she once felt at local hospitals.
“A hospital? You would think you’d be safe, but it’s just not anymore,” she said.
The Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the FBI continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Saturday’s attack.
The tragedy has raised questions about mental health services, workplace safety, and the ability of individuals with violent pasts to access firearms.
For now, the community of York, Pennsylvania, mourns the life lost, prays for the recovery of the wounded, and seeks answers to a tragedy that has forever changed their town.
Crime
16-year-old Khyon Smith-Tate found shot to death inside Chipotle bathroom on edge of Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot inside the bathroom of a Chipotle restaurant near Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia on Monday afternoon, police said, as students and staff returned for the first day of the Spring 2026 semester.
The shooting occurred at approximately 5:00 p.m. inside the Chipotle located in the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue, on the ground floor of The View at Montgomery apartment complex. The building is situated near Temple University’s Student Center and TECH Center.
Police later identified the victim as Khyon Smith-Tate, a North Philadelphia resident. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said Smith-Tate was found with a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m.
Temple University President John Fry and Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Jennifer Griffin issued a joint statement following the incident:
“The loss of life to gun violence is a profound tragedy, and there are no words that can make sense of it. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones.”
According to investigators, Smith-Tate and another minor entered the restaurant and requested access to the restroom. Chief Inspector Small said the shooting is believed to have occurred inside the bathroom.
Moments later, employees discovered Smith-Tate suffering from a gunshot wound. Police recovered one spent shell casing from a semiautomatic weapon inside the restroom.
Although the victim’s last known address was approximately eight blocks from the scene, authorities have not indicated what brought him to the location or what led to the shooting.
At the time of the incident, the restaurant was crowded, and multiple individuals inside the business were detained briefly for questioning. However, police said they have not yet obtained any statements from witnesses who reported hearing a gunshot.
A person of interest was taken into custody several blocks from the scene shortly after the shooting, but Chief Inspector Small said that individual’s involvement remains unclear.
As of Tuesday, police confirmed that no arrests have been made and no motive has been established.
Investigators believe Smith-Tate entered the restroom with another minor, though the whereabouts of that individual remain unknown.
Police are also seeking information about three possible suspects, described as teenagers carrying backpacks.
Chief Inspector Small noted that the area is equipped with numerous surveillance cameras, which detectives are reviewing as part of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.