A tragic shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York County, Pennsylvania, has brought attention to the increasing violence against healthcare workers in the U.S. The attack, carried out by 49-year-old Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, resulted in the death of a police officer and injuries to five others, including a doctor, nurse, and hospital custodian.
Archangel-Ortiz entered the intensive care unit with a gun and zip ties, taking hospital staff hostage before police shot and killed him. Investigators believe he targeted the hospital intentionally, as he had contacted the ICU earlier in the week regarding someone else’s medical care.
According to security expert Dick Sem, violent incidents in hospitals are becoming more frequent, especially in emergency rooms, maternity wards, and intensive care units. Nurses and other healthcare staff face daily abuse, with tensions rising since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many attacks happen because people are angry about the treatment of a loved one, while others are linked to domestic disputes or workplace conflicts.
Megan Foltz, a nurse at WellSpan Health, where some of the victims were taken, shared her concerns about safety in hospitals. She explained that emotions often run high in critical care settings, where patients’ families are dealing with stress, grief, and even issues related to gang or domestic violence. Nurses fear for their own safety but also worry about leaving their patients unprotected if they need to flee during an attack.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that healthcare and social assistance workers accounted for nearly 75% of nonfatal workplace attacks in 2021 and 2022, facing violence at more than five times the national average.
This attack is part of a troubling pattern of violence in medical facilities, including:
- A 2023 shooting in Idaho, where a gunman attacked two correctional officers while helping a white supremacist gang member escape custody.
- A 2023 shooting in an Oregon hospital’s maternity unit, where a man killed a security guard and injured a hospital worker.
- A 2022 attack in Oklahoma, where a gunman killed his surgeon and three others, blaming the doctor for his ongoing pain.
To improve safety, hospitals are increasing security by installing metal detectors and screening visitors. Experts like Sem emphasize that training hospital staff to recognize warning signs—such as aggressive behavior and threats—can help prevent future attacks. Reporting suspicious activity early could be the key to saving lives.
