THE BRIEF (FACT CHECK):
- One Chicago police officer was killed and another remains in critical condition after a shooting inside Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital on the North Side.
- The suspect was already in police custody and opened fire while being treated at the hospital.
- The fallen officer was a 38-year-old, 10-year CPD veteran; the injured officer is a 57-year-old veteran with over 20 years of service.
- The suspect was recaptured and the weapon was recovered at the scene.
- No hospital staff or patients were injured, and the investigation remains ongoing.
- Sources: WGN News | Fox 32 Chicago
A tragic situation unfolded on Chicago’s North Side Saturday after a shooting inside Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital left one Chicago police officer dead and another fighting for his life.
According to WGN News, the incident happened in Lincoln Square after officers escorted a suspect, who was already in custody, to receive medical treatment. Officials said the suspect was checked for weapons and monitored by law enforcement, but somehow managed to obtain a firearm and opened fire on the officers.
Police confirmed the officer who was killed was a 38-year-old, 10-year veteran of the department. The second officer, a 57-year-old with more than 20 years on the force, remains in critical condition.
Additional details reported by Fox 32 Chicago identified the fallen officer as John Bartholomew, 38, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. Authorities said the suspect briefly fled the scene but was later taken back into custody, and the weapon was recovered.
WHAT HAPPENED
Police said the suspect had been taken to the hospital in connection with an unrelated incident when the shooting occurred. The hospital was temporarily placed on lockdown, but officials later confirmed there was no ongoing threat and no patients or staff were harmed.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“This is a real difficult moment for our city,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “It’s a tragedy.”
“Every day that an officer gets up and puts his or her uniform on, they don’t really know if they’re ever going to return home. They understand that. That is a hazard of this job.”— CPD Supt. Larry Snelling, via WGN News
Support has also poured in from across the state, including Gov. JB Pritzker, who called for prayers for the officer’s family and the recovery of the injured officer.
COMMUNITY RESPONSE
A procession escorted the fallen officer from the hospital, with community members lining the streets in support of CPD and the officer’s loved ones.
“I think with how things are right now, just supporting the police, whether it’s CPD or your local municipality, show them that you care, we’re there for them,” Blue Island police officer A.J. Abdul Mohammed said.
WHAT’S NEXT
Authorities have not released a motive, and details surrounding how the suspect obtained the weapon remain unclear. The investigation is ongoing, and the hospital has since reopened with controlled access.
Sources: WGN News, Fox 32 Chicago
