Policeman Killed by Another Officer’s Bullet
York – It has been determined that a police officer who was killed during a shootout at a UPMC Memorial Hospital in York was hit by friendly fire. Officer Andrew Duarte of the West York Police was killed by a bullet shot by a fellow police officer on February 22nd, investigators say. 30-year-old Officer Duarte announced that he had been struck during an exchange of fire with a hostage taker. He announced he was wounded and then dragged another wounded officer to safety before passing away.
On February 22nd, Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz entered UPMC Memorial Hospital with a handgun and injured several employees before taking hostages. More than 60 police officers were dispatched to the scene and tried to negotiate with Ortiz, but he started using hostages as a shield, and they backed away. A second round of communication with Ortiz ended in an exchange of gunfire that killed both him and Officer Duarte.

Attorney General: Funeral Home Defrauded Thousands of PA Residents
Pittsburgh – Pennsylvania’s Attorney General, Dave Sunday, announced that his office will be prosecuting the owner of a pet crematorium for the improper disposal of thousands of pet dogs and cats, theft by deception, and more. According to AG Sunday, 70-year-old Patrick Vareb improperly disposed of more than 6,500 pets that were to be cremated at Eternity Pet Memorial and returned the ashes of unknown animals to the families, charging around $10,000 on average for this fraud from 2021 to 2024. The deceased pets were received directly from grieving families or veterinary practices.
A mortician student working as an intern informed the authorities of irregularities in Vareb’s record keeping. Her tip led to an investigation that revealed evidence of the crimes which he is accused.

MMC’s Annual Stroke Walk Saturday
Meadville – Meadville Medical Center’s annual Stroke Walk takes place this Saturday at Vernon Place on Route 19 in Vernon Township. The Stroke Walk is a one-mile walk around the Vernon campus’s grounds to promote awareness of strokes, how to avoid them, and how to assist someone suffering from one. Registration is at 9:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m. The walk will be followed by educational presentations and materials, a basket raffle, and more. No pets are permitted this year.

Emergency Declared After Thunderstorm Kills Four
Pittsburgh – Pennsylvania’s Governor Josh Shapiro issued an emergency declaration Wednesday following severe storms in Southwestern Pennsylvania on Tuesday. At least three people were killed, and hundreds of thousands were left without power in Allegheny County and surrounding areas. The National Weather Service determined there was a risk for severe thunderstorms across all of Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania again on Thursday, but classified the risk as slight. On Friday morning, dozens of schools were still closed due to a lack of electricity and debris on roadways.
The storm led to three fatalities in Allegheny County and another in State College. Two people were crushed by trees that fell on the during the storm, two more men were electrocuted by downed power lines.