Fact Check: A trooper shot and killed a man during a hostage standoff.

Fact Check: "A trooper shot and killed a man during a hostage standoff."

What We Know

On February 22, 2025, a man armed with a pistol entered the intensive care unit of UPMC Memorial Hospital in York, Pennsylvania, and took several staff members hostage. During the ensuing confrontation, police officers engaged the shooter, identified as Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, resulting in a shootout. Archangel-Ortiz was killed by police, and tragically, a police officer, Andrew Duarte, was also killed during this incident. The York County District Attorney confirmed that the officers were justified in using deadly force, stating, "It is absolutely clear, and beyond any and all doubt, that the officers were justified in taking their action using deadly force" (AP News).

Analysis

The claim that a trooper shot and killed a man during a hostage standoff is supported by multiple credible sources. The incident involved a hostage situation at a hospital, where the shooter was killed by law enforcement in a shootout. The details provided by the York County District Attorney and eyewitness accounts corroborate the sequence of events, confirming that police were engaged in a direct confrontation with the shooter (AP News).

The reliability of the source, the Associated Press, is high, as it is a well-established news organization known for its fact-based reporting. The information provided is consistent with other reports on the incident, which detail the actions taken by law enforcement in response to the hostage situation. Furthermore, the context of the shooting aligns with broader concerns regarding violence in healthcare settings, as noted in the report (AP News).

While there are other sources that discuss different hostage situations, such as the one in Saginaw Township (ABC12), they do not pertain to the specific claim being evaluated here. Therefore, they do not detract from the validity of the primary incident discussed.

Conclusion

The claim that a trooper shot and killed a man during a hostage standoff is True. The evidence clearly indicates that law enforcement officers, including a trooper, were involved in a shootout with a hostage-taker, resulting in the death of the shooter. The confirmation from the York County District Attorney regarding the justification of the officers' actions further solidifies this conclusion.