Photo of armed robbery and murder suspect Alphanso Talley from the CPD.
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Full Story
A man accused of killing an officer while in custody at a hospital and wounding another is set to appear in court today, Wednesday, May 20. The circumstances of the case are so horrific, one city leader is calling this an example of a “joke of a system,” as reported by foxnews.com. Here’s the full story.
What Happened
At 8 am on Monday, April 25, two men, Alphanso Talley, 26, and Jiren Tate, 18, pulled up on scooters at a Chicago Family Dollar located in the Albany Park neighborhood. The armed men stormed into the store, setting off an instant chaotic chain of events.
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According to police reports, the men made a beeline for the cashier. They demanded money and became violent within seconds. Police say Alphanso Talley pistol whipped a female cashier three times across the face, fracturing her nose. With her disoriented and bloody, his accomplice Jiren Tate began robbing the register.
They had gotten away, but they had missed a crucial detail…
Police say Tate took a measly $110 from the cash register. But he wasn’t done. He then took the victim’s car keys and wallet. In their getaway, one took a scooter, while the other fled on foot. They had gotten away, but they had missed a crucial detail that would shorten their run in the worst way.
The suspects had taken the money, but with it, they had unknowingly taken a GPS tracking device as well. When the police made it to the scene at Family Dollar, they began their search for the suspects. The GPS tracking device made the difference.
Within minutes, police tracked the live signal directly to where Talley was hiding. They also used facial recognition technology to identify him. At some point, another two police officers who had had interactions with him in the past confirmed his identity as well. After gathering the evidence, police quickly began their search.
Along the way to find him, police located the jacket Talley had worn during the robbery. It matched the one seen on the surveillance footage from the store. Inside of it, cops found the victim’s keys. And then they found him, but a deadly critical error was made during the arrest.
Upon apprehending him, the original arresting officers conducted a custodial search of Talley. Inside of his pockets, they found blood-stained money believed to be from the robbery. What they didn’t find was his loaded 10mm semi-automatic handgun. According to Police1.com, “Law enforcement sources told NBC 5 that Talley was able to sneak the gun into the hospital in the folds of his skin.”
Once he was in custody, police say Talley said he had swallowed a bunch of drugs and needed medical attention. The Chicago Police Department complied with his request, as is standard protocol. (However, after the shooting, his request was determined to be a ruse, a trick cops say he had used in the past to attempt to escape custody.) Talley was transported to Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital located at 5140 N. California Ave. But in his hospital room, everything went horrifically wrong.
This is when police say he discreetly pulled the weapon…
In the scan room, Talley was completely undressed but given a privacy blanket to cover his body. This is when police say he discreetly pulled the weapon and fired at the unsuspecting officers, striking both.
Reports say Talley shot Officer John Bartholomew in the head and killed him instantly. Officer Nelson Cresbow was shot in the chin and neck, leaving him in critical condition. Talley then began his escape attempt.
In the nude, police say he busted through a hospital window and took off. He was still wearing cardiac monitor electrodes on his chest. With the gunshots and breaking glass, the hospital went on lockdown. And cops began their search for Alphanso Talley.
The police set up a large, multiple-district CPD “containment net” around Swedish Hospital. They ended up finding the naked suspect hiding under a porch a few blocks away. They also found his gun directly next to him, but they took him back into custody without further gunfire. Jiren Tate was also arrested. The charges aren’t light.
The Aftermath
Alphanso Talley has a 20-count felony indictment, including First-Degree Murder, Attempted Murder, Armed Robbery and Escape. Jiren Tate was not charged in the shootings. Either way, everyone from average residents to city leaders are asking how something like this could happen.
City leaders have called the system a “joke,” and others are questioning the integrity of the search process. How could a suspect in an armed robbery sneak a loaded firearm through multiple security checks and searches? What about the families of the officers?
Officer John Bartholomew, 38, leaves behind a wife, a three-year-old daughter and two stepsons. Local organizations Chicago Police Memorial Foundation and the 100 Club of Illinois have stepped in, pledging to cover all future educational expenses of the children, from pre-k to college. It is an honorable contribution to a family who’s lost a man they will never get back. Officer Nelson Cresbow’s family continues showing strength as he pulls through.
Officer Cresbow, a 21-year veteran of the force, continues to be surrounded in the hospital by family and other loved ones. His condition is critical but stable. The family has faith that he will pull through this. As the investigation continues, the community hopes for solutions that will prevent future tragedies like this one.
The Takeaway
Two suspects, Alphanso Talley and Jiren Tate, are in custody for the April 25 armed robbery of an Albany Park Family Dollar in Chicago. They got a total of $110. In addition to the robbery counts, Talley faces a slew of other charges punishable by up to life in prison. Those charges include First-Degree Murder and Attempted First-Degree Murder of two Chicago Police Department officers. Their next court date is today, May 20, where prosecutors will present more of the evidence they’ve collected.
Jermaine Reed, MFA is an educator and the Editor-in-Chief of TheReedersBlock. Take time to Subscribe. It helps promote independent journalism and the site. Follow him on TikTok, where he has over 9 million views and nearly 1 million likes. Help him get there.
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