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John Bartholomew

Gender : Male

Age : 38

Race : White

Date : 04/25/2026

Location : Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital, 5140 N. California Avenue

City : Chicago

County : Cook

State : Illinois

Agency : Chicago Police Department

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Police officer killed by person in custody

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

NARRATIVE:

On 04/25/2026, 38-year-old Chicago Police Officer John Bartholomew was shot and killed inside Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital while guarding 26-year-old Alphanso Talley, who had been arrested earlier that morning. Bartholomew's partner, Officer Nelson Crespo, was also shot and critically wounded. 

 

Earlier that morning, Chicago police arrested Talley following an armed robbery at a Family Dollar store in the 3200 block of West Lawrence Avenue. Prosecutors allege that Talley pistol-whipped an employee during the robbery. Police tracked stolen cash containing a GPS device and subsequently arrested him. 

 

After his arrest, Talley reportedly told police that he was having difficulty breathing after ingesting multiple bags of drugs. Bartholomew and Crespo transported him to Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital for medical treatment. 

 

While at the hospital, Talley's left arm was handcuffed to a hospital bed railing while his right hand remained free. A blanket had been placed over him as hospital staff prepared to take him for imaging. 

 

Prosecutors allege that Talley had concealed a 10mm Glock handgun beneath the blanket. Surveillance video showed him moving his free arm beneath the blanket before he allegedly produced the firearm and opened fire on the two officers. 

 

Bartholomew and Crespo were both struck by gunfire. Bartholomew was critically wounded and transported to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he died. Crespo survived but suffered devastating injuries and remained in recovery months after the shooting. 

 

Talley allegedly fled through the hospital after the shooting. Prosecutors said surveillance footage showed him pointing the firearm toward a room where a hospital employee had taken refuge, attempting unsuccessfully to enter that room, and then continuing toward an employee entrance. He allegedly fired through a glass door before escaping the building. 

 

Chicago police launched an intensive search following the shooting. Talley was subsequently located and taken into custody alive. The officers involved in apprehending him did not kill or seriously injure him. 

 

Talley was charged with first-degree murder in Bartholomew's death and attempted murder in the shooting of Crespo, along with additional felony charges arising from the hospital shooting and the preceding robbery. He pleaded not guilty and remained detained pending trial. 

 

Bartholomew was a 10-year Chicago Police Department veteran assigned to the Albany Park District. He was married and had three children. 

 

On 08/13/2026, the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation honored six officers and detectives for their response to the hospital shooting: Officer Brian Richards, Sgts. Emily Ryan, John Fazy, Timothy Fitzpatrick and Anthony Green, and Detective James Carroll. The foundation specifically recognized that the responding officers apprehended Talley alive despite the killing of their colleague and the critical wounding of Crespo. 

SOURCE LINKS :

https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-police-memorial-foundation-honors-first-officers-scene-john-bartholomew-killed-swedish-hospital-shooting/19673689/
https://abc7chicago.com/post/swedish-hospital-shooting-memorial-grows-slain-chicago-police-officer-john-bartholomew-another-critical-condition/18976450/
https://news.wttw.com/2026/04/30/man-charged-killing-cpd-officer-john-bartholomew-swedish-hospital-be-detained-jail
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/funeral-chicago-police-officer-john-bartholomew-killed-swedish-hospital-shooting/
https://www.odmp.org/officer/27796-police-officer-john-bartholomew