Friend of Greek American police officer killed in Chicago breaks down: "We lost a pallikari, they had let the man who killed Yiannis go free 7 times"

"Yannis was an incredible man. We lost a young man unjustly, we are all hurting. We were hurt because the judges let the man who killed him out of prison 7 times," he told ANT1.

As he described it, "as soon as they went to put him (ed. the 26-year-old perpetrator) in the MRI scanner, the nurse shouted "gun" and shot our Yannis."

According to him, the 38-year-old expatriate police officer was killed in a hospital located across from the church of St. Demetrius, while his grandfather was a priest at another church in Chicago.

"It was unfair what happened to the young man, he had a 3-year-old girl and two other children from his wife's first marriage," concluded Mr. Stratakis about John Bartholomew.

Events

The incident that led to the death of the 38-year-old Greek police officer occurred a few days ago in a hospital in Chicago when he was accompanying Talley, who had been arrested for assaulting a store employee.

Talley, who had a serious criminal record for beating a police officer, armed robbery, car thefts, etc., had claimed that he had ingested drugs and could not breathe.

For some unknown reason, he suddenly pulled a gun and shot both the 38-year-old Bartholomew and his 57-year-old colleague. The Greek police officer, who had 10 years of experience in the police force, breathed his last from the gunfire, while his veteran colleague was seriously injured and is hospitalized in critical condition.

After shooting the officers, the 26-year-old fled naked with electrodes hanging from his body, but was arrested a short distance from the hospital.

According to the family's condolence message, Bartholomew "will be remembered as a devoted family man, whose life was defined by love, devotion and service."

At the same time, an unprecedented wave of support is being expressed in the city for the family of the murdered police officer, with residents, businesses and organizations mobilizing to provide financial and moral support to his loved ones.

Funeral arrangements set for fallen CPD officer John Bartholomew

As reported by the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, the 38-year-old Greek-American police officer was “a cheerful, kind and enthusiastic man, who willingly volunteered for missions” and looked forward to returning to his family at the end of each shift.

The 38-year-old’s body will be placed in public worship next Thursday, May 7, at St. Andrew’s Church in Chicago, while the Funeral Service will be held a day later, on Friday, at 10:00 (local time), and the burial will take place in a close family circle.