A police officer was killed while responding to a shooting at a hospital in central Pennsylvania, according to authorities, who confirmed the suspected gunman was also dead.
Officers in York were alerted to the gunfire at UPMC Memorial Hospital in West Manchester Township just before 11 a.m. on Saturday. When they arrived on the scene, the suspect immediately opened fire, then attempted to barricade himself inside the hospital, ABC News reported, citing sources familiar with the incident.
Andrew Duarte of the West York Borough Police Department was killed in the gunfire, while several others, including a nurse, were reportedly wounded.
“The gunman is deceased, and no patients have been injured,” read a statement from UPMC, the hospital system that includes UPMC Memorial. The statement did not offer details regarding the suspect’s identity or how he died.
“The hospital is now secure but is on divert. This is a fluid situation; law enforcement is on premises and is managing the situation,” UPMC continued. “We are grateful to all the local law enforcement agencies for their quick response.”
In a joint statement, state Rep. Seth Grove and Sen. Dawn Keefer said they were “deeply saddened by the tragic shooting,” adding that their “hearts go out to the victims, their families and all those affected by this senseless act of violence.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also took to social media to address the bloodshed. He confirmed that he’d been “briefed on the tragic shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital” and that he was traveling to the scene.
An investigation into the deadly violence is ongoing. Law enforcement were still on site as of late Saturday afternoon.
No further details were provided.
With News Wire Services