Friend of Greek-American police officer killed on duty in Chicago speaks out: “We lost a young man — they had released his killer seven times”

A person of the slain officer, Alexis Stratakos, spoke astir the decease of Greek-American constabulary serviceman John Bartholomew, who was killed successful the enactment of work successful Chicago portion escorting Talley to the hospital.

“John was an unthinkable person. We mislaid a young antheral unjustly; we are each successful pain. We are wounded due to the fact that judges had released the antheral who killed him 7 times,” helium told ANT1.

As helium described, “Just arsenic they were astir to spot him (the suspect) into the MRI machine, a caregiver shouted ‘gun,’ and helium changeable our John.”

According to him, the 38-year-old serviceman was killed successful a infirmary located other the Church of Saint Demetrios, portion his gramps had been a clergyman astatine different religion successful Chicago.

“It was unfair what happened to this young man. He had a 3-year-old girl and 2 much children from his wife’s erstwhile marriage,” Stratakos added.

What happened

The incidental that led to the officer’s decease occurred a fewer days agone astatine a infirmary successful Chicago, wherever helium was escorting Talley, who had been arrested for assaulting a store employee.

Talley, who had a superior transgression record—including assaulting a constabulary officer, equipped robbery, and car theft—had claimed helium had swallowed drugs and could not breathe.

At immoderate point, helium abruptly pulled retired a weapon and changeable some the 38-year-old Bartholomew and his 57-year-old colleague. The Greek-American officer, who had 10 years of service, died from his injuries, portion his seasoned workfellow was critically wounded and remains hospitalized successful superior condition.

After the shooting, the 26-year-old fled bare with aesculapian electrodes inactive attached to his assemblage but was apprehended a abbreviated region from the hospital.

Tributes and funeral

According to the family’s statement, Bartholomew “will beryllium remembered arsenic a devoted household antheral whose beingness was defined by love, dedication, and service.”

At the aforesaid time, a question of enactment has emerged crossed Chicago, with residents, businesses, and organizations mobilizing to supply fiscal and motivation enactment to his family.

According to the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, the 38-year-old serviceman was “a cheerful, kind, and enthusiastic idiosyncratic who willingly stepped guardant for assignments” and ever looked guardant to returning location to his household aft each shift.

His assemblage volition prevarication successful authorities connected Thursday, May 7, astatine Saint Andrew Church successful Chicago, portion the ceremonial work volition instrumentality spot the pursuing day, Friday astatine 10:00 a.m. (local time), with burial successful a backstage household ceremony.