Visitation held on Thursday for fallen Chicago police officer John Bartholomew

Visitation services were held on Thursday for fallen Chicago police officer John Bartholomew, who was shot and killed last month at Swedish Hospital. 

Friends, family, police officers, firefighters, and elected officials came out to pay their respects to Bartholomew at St. Andrew's Greek Orthodox Church, 5649 N. Sheridan Rd., in Edgewater.

"We thought it was important that we come here and pay our respects. Such a terrible tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Bartholomew family," said Ald. Matt O'Shea (19th). "Just another reminder, an example of how unbelievably dangerous this job is for our first responders and police officers."

Mayor Brandon Johnson and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin also were among the elected officials who attended the visitation.

Blue ribbons and small American flags lined fences, trees, and light poles outside the church, where Bartholomew was being remembered as a husband, father, and well-respected officer. 

Bartholomew, 38, was a 10-year-veteran of the Chicago Police Department. He was assigned to the 17th district in Albany Park.

On Thursday morning, a hearse carrying Bartholomew's body arrived at St. Andrew's, where officers carried the casket draped in the Chicago flag into the church. His visitation was held from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Police Supt. Larry Snelling said the Chicago Police Department is focused on supporting Bartholomew's family, remembering his service, and honoring his sacrifice.

"Inside the church, you can feel the grief in the air. You know, as I walked up and viewed the casket, it just, it kind of takes your breath away," he said. "We have a family in there that's suffering, going through a lot. As a department, we're doing every single thing that we can to make sure that we show whatever level of comfort we can for the family."

On April 25, Bartholomew and his partner escorted a man who'd been arrested for armed robbery to Swedish Hospital, after the man had claimed he'd swallowed drugs and needed medical help.

Once inside the hospital, prosecutors said officers unlocked 26-year-old Alphanso Talley's handcuffs for a CT scan, and he pulled out a gun from under a blanket and shot Bartholomew and his partner, and then stole a hospital worker's badge to escape.

After the shooting, Bartholomew and his partner were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where Bartholomew was pronounced dead. His partner, Officer Nelson Crespo, remained hospitalized on Thursday, and Snelling said he faces a lengthy recovery after being shot in the chin.

"That recovery is going to take quite some time," Snelling said. "We're also here for him, his family." 

Talley was arrested shortly after the shooting in a nearby backyard. He has been ordered held in jail while he awaits trial.

Bartholomew's funeral has been scheduled for Friday morning at St. Andrew's.