"Community members, coworkers, and friends - many from the healthcare industry - held candles and laid flowers in front of the hospital in Rangel's memory. Chaplain John Wolff led the group in prayer, describing Rangel as a "dedicated advocate for people," and a dedicated member of the fight against HIV/AIDS. Some in attendance greeted each other with hugs of support. Some cried. Others bowed their heads in somber silence."
"Rangel's alleged killer, 34-year-old Wilfredo Tortolero-Arriechi, was arrested on the scene of the killing and is being held in county jail on charges of murder, assault with a deadly weapon, use of a deadly weapon, and "mayhem." Rangel was attacked on the afternoon of Dec. 4. Tortolero-Arriechi was purportedly a regular patient at Ward 86 and was known and feared by staff there. Rangel had raised concerns about his alleged attacker three weeks ago, said Hoopengardner. "We all should've been informed.""
"When Katherine Alvarez, a former staff member at Ward 86, the pioneering HIV/AIDS unit where Rangel worked, first met him, she said, he sent her a card thanking her for being his friend and a wonderful person. "He was a beautiful and kind soul." Jessica Hoopengardner, a nurse at the ward and another friend, described him as "the most open-hearted, loving, non-judgemental, kind diva.""
Alberto Rangel, 51, a UCSF social worker who worked at Ward 86, died after being stabbed by a patient. Community members, coworkers, and healthcare colleagues held a candlelight vigil and laid flowers in front of the hospital, with Chaplain John Wolff calling him a dedicated advocate and HIV/AIDS fighter. Colleagues remembered him as kind, open-hearted, and nonjudgmental. Authorities arrested 34-year-old Wilfredo Tortolero-Arriechi at the scene; he faces murder and multiple weapons charges. Staff had previously reported concerns about Tortolero-Arriechi and questioned whether security measures and deputy deployment adequately protected staff and patients.
Read at Mission Local
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]