YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) -- A physician assistant from UPMC Memorial Hospital in York County said he had to tell the shooter his loved one had passed away in the hospital prior to the shooting there on Saturday.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE |Gunman dead after taking hostages, killing officer at UPMC York; 5 others injured
In a Facebook post, Lestor Mendoza said he interacted with the gunman, Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, for multiple days before delivering the "worst news imaginable."
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.
Mendoza is a physician assistant specializing in pulmonary care, according to UPMC's website. He recalled the harrowing experience and the traumatic events members of his ICU team narrowly survived, as they were zip-tied and taken as hostages.
Archangel-Ortiz was killed by police after opening fire inside the ICU Saturday, shooting 6 people, including Officer Andrew Duarte. Duarte died from his injuries.
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Mendoza condemned the violence while sharing his opinions on the current state of the healthcare system.
Mendoza went on to share an apology to his co-workers and employees for what they endured during the attack while thanking the first responders who helped and sharing condolences to Officer Duarte.
I am so very sorry to my ICU team and the unthinkable trauma and distressful thoughts of what each of you had to endure. I think about what each and every one of you do everyday. Thank you to the officers who were called to help us when things were too far gone. Thank you officer Duarte for your ultimate sacrifice to prevent additional fellow colleagues/friends/ work family from also perishing from this tragic, dark event. From the bottom of my heart, you will never be forgotten, and neither will the people who put their lives on the line, on a daily basis.
It comes as the local York County community and beyond mourn the loss and grapple with the tragedy.
UPMC released a statement in the aftermath on Sunday morning, saying the healthcare workers who were injured in the shooting are "stable and progressing."