CHICAGO — A Chicago police officer was killed and another was critically injured Saturday when a robbery suspect in their custody opened fire inside Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital, authorities said.
The shooting occurred around 11 a.m. at the hospital in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the North Side as the officers were escorting the suspect for medical treatment, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said. The slain officer was identified Sunday as 38-year-old John Bartholomew, a 10-year veteran of the force assigned to the Albany Park District. The second officer, 57, with 21 years on the department, remained in critical condition Monday at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
According to officials, the suspect, who had been arrested earlier in a robbery investigation, gained access to a firearm while inside the hospital and began shooting. Both officers were struck before the suspect was apprehended at the scene. The hospital was placed under lockdown during the incident, and patients and staff were reported safe. Bartholomew was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly before 1 p.m. Saturday, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office said.
Snelling addressed the department in a message following the shooting, describing the loss as devastating. “One of our own is gone, and another is fighting for his life,” he said, according to reports obtained by local media. Memorials with blue ribbons and flowers grew outside the 17th District police station where both officers were based.
The incident is under investigation by the Chicago Police Department and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability. The suspect remained in custody Monday, though authorities have not released his identity or additional details about the circumstances that allowed him access to a weapon while in custody. Details on how the suspect obtained the firearm remain unclear.
No other injuries were reported. The hospital campus remained closed for part of the weekend as law enforcement continued its investigation.
As of Monday evening, the second injured officer continued to receive treatment and was listed in critical condition. Bartholomew’s funeral arrangements had not been finalized. The department said it was supporting the families of both officers.
