A nearly naked Chicago criminal shot two police officers by hiding a gun under his hospital blanket during a daring shooting spree while he was under arrest, police said.
Alphanso Talley, 27, allegedly killed 38-year-old Chicago Police Department officer John Bartholomew and wounded his partner, 57, at Swedish Hospital in Chicago, Illinois on Saturday, April 25.
Talley was taken to the hospital for a CT scan around 11am while under arrest for an armed robbery that morning, where he had allegedly held up a Family Dollar store with a gun.
While under watch by the two police officers in the hospital, Talley allegedly hid a gun under his blanket, before pulling the weapon out and shooting at the officers.
The suspect fled the scene wearing only his hospital gown, and was found hiding under a nearby porch while still in possession of a 10mm handgun, police said.
Investigators said shell casings from the gun matched those recovered from the hospital, where Bartholomew was pronounced dead. The cop's partner, who has not been named, was left in critical condition.
Footage showed police rushing down a residential street after Talley fled the hospital, and he was seen being walked back partially covering himself with the gown as he was taken into custody.
Talley was on pretrial release for an April 2025 carjacking when the officers were shot, authorities said.
Alphanso Talley, 27, shot two police officers by hiding a gun under his hospital blanket during a daring shooting spree while under arrest, police said
Talley killed a police officer and wounded another before shooting out a hospital window and fleeing in only a hospital gown, and he was seen running naked down the street when he was arrested in Chicago, Illinois on Saturday, April 25
Chicago Police Officer John Bartholomew, 38, was shot dead by Talley in the hospital while he was guarding the suspect to a CT scan
Following his capture on Saturday, Talley was charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated unlawful restraint, armed robbery, aggravated discharge of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, aggravated battery of a peace officer, aggravated battery, escape and unlawful use of a weapon.
Authorities said the charges added to the 27-year-old's already lengthy rap sheet of at least seven felonies, including an alleged armed robbery committed hours before the shooting at the hospital.
Talley allegedly held up a Family Dollar store with a handgun and pistol-whipped an employee, before stealing cash with a GPS tracker inside.
Police caught Talley hours later with the GPS-tracked cash, but when he was arrested he told officers he had ingested drugs, officials said.
Bartholomew and his partner then took Talley to the hospital. Talley was allowed to keep a blanket over him when he was stripped while preparing for a CT scan.
Prosecutors said in charging documents that Talley hid the handgun on him the entire time, and waited until one of the officers uncuffed him before he opened fire.
Bartholomew was shot in the head, and his partner was shot in the side of the face during the surprise gunfire.
Talley then shot out a hospital window and escaped.
Following his capture on Sunday, Talley was charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated unlawful restraint, armed robbery, aggravated discharge of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, aggravated battery of a peace officer, aggravated battery, escape and unlawful use of a weapon
Prosecutors said Talley (seen in previous mugshots) is a seven-time felon, and he was on pre-trial release for an armed robbery at the time of the shooting
Footage showed officers running down a residential street when Talley was found under a porch and arrested
Prosecutors did not detail in charging documents how Talley got the 10mm handgun into the hospital, and the hospital said security searched him with a wand as he entered and nothing was detected, reports ABC7.
A GoFundMe set up for Bartholomew's family describes the slain police officer as a loving husband and father, who 'made a lasting impact on everyone who knew him. He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.'
His family said he was dedicated father to a three-year-old daughter and two stepsons, and said he was 'so much more than a police officer.'
Following Talley's arrest, officials said the suspect is a seven-time felon and known parole absconder, with pending cases for armed carjacking and armed robbery.
The victim of that carjacking in April 2025 told WGN9 that he was stunned to hear the criminal was out on pre-trial release at the time, saying he believes Talley should have been locked up as a danger to the community.
'It’s honestly shocking,' said the victim, who did not wish to be named. 'It makes me so mad that someone who pulled a gun on me was released.'
The victim said they were 'ambushed' by Talley, adding: 'He came up from behind and he told me, ‘Give me the f***ing keys.’ He pointed a gun at my abdomen and I gave him the keys. A car is not worth my life.'
Talley was arraigned on Monday and was held without bail at the Cook County Department of Corrections.
Prosecutors said his previous convictions for gun-related violations in 2021 and robbery in 2017 qualified him for an additional charge of unlawful possession of a weapon by a repeat offender.
Prosecutors did not detail in the charging documents how Talley got the 10mm handgun into the hospital, and the hospital said security searched him with a wand as he entered and nothing was detected
Batholomew's family described the slain police officer as a loving husband and father, who 'made a lasting impact on everyone who knew him... He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him'
Police seen at the scene at Swedish Hospital on Saturday
As authorities announced Talley's arrest, Chicago Fraternal Order of Police president John Catanzara said the shooting serves as a reminder of the issues repeat offenders have on the community.
'I'm going to ask you something. Are you going to continue to be there and call out these judges and politicians and the SAFE-T Act and all the poor decisions that have been made in this building and in Springfield that have led to this moment?' he questioned.
'Or you're going to fade off into the sunset once this bond hearing is done and the trial is done?'
Catanzara continued: 'Without pressure from the media, nothing changes. It just doesn't.
'They literally go hide in a corner and continue on with their nonsense of trying to let criminals out on the street in any way, shape or form they can and excuse bad behavior. It needs to f***ing stop. It just does.'