Federal prosecutors say Olivia Burgos lied while buying a Glock later tied to the Swedish Hospital shooting.
CHICAGO, IL — A northwest Indiana woman has been charged in federal court with lying while buying a handgun that authorities say was later used to kill Chicago police Officer John Bartholomew and critically wound his partner at a North Side hospital.
Olivia Burgos faces one count of making a material false statement in the acquisition of a firearm, a charge filed as Chicago police and federal agents traced the weapon used in Saturday’s shooting at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital. The charge adds a separate federal case to the state murder and attempted murder case against Alphanso Talley, the man accused of shooting the two officers while in custody.
Federal authorities said Burgos bought a Glock 29, a 10 mm pistol, on May 27, 2024, at a licensed gun dealer in Merrillville, Indiana. Investigators said she stated on federal paperwork that she was the actual buyer, was not addicted to drugs and lived at an address in La Porte, Indiana. An ATF agent wrote in an affidavit that Burgos later admitted those statements were false. Prosecutors said she told investigators she was addicted to fentanyl, had used fentanyl the day she bought the gun and was actually living in Highland, Indiana, with her boyfriend at the time.
The federal complaint says Burgos told investigators she bought the gun for that boyfriend, who was described as a convicted felon barred from buying or possessing firearms. Authorities did not name the man in the complaint, and the filing did not say how the gun later reached Talley or the hospital. Prosecutors said the weapon was not taken from the officers. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said the federal charge was “the first step in accountability” after a shooting he called a “stark and heartbreaking reminder” of the risks officers face.
Bartholomew, 38, was a 10-year Chicago police veteran assigned to the 17th District. A second officer, 57, remained in critical condition Monday. Police have not released his name. The officers had taken Talley to Swedish Hospital after he was arrested in an armed robbery earlier Saturday morning at a Family Dollar store in the 3200 block of West Lawrence Avenue. Prosecutors said Talley and another person robbed the store, pistol-whipped a female employee and took her wallet and keys before police tracked him through a GPS device attached to the stolen money.
After his arrest, Talley told officers he had swallowed narcotics, authorities said. The two officers took him to Swedish Hospital, where he was being prepared for a CT scan. Prosecutors said Talley took off his clothes, was covered with a blanket and then pulled a handgun from under the blanket after one officer uncuffed him. Authorities said he shot one officer in the head and the other in the face, then shot out a hospital window and escaped. He was later arrested nearby after a search in the surrounding neighborhood.
The hospital said the suspect was wanded when he arrived, in line with its security protocol, and was escorted by law enforcement at all times. Prosecutors said Talley was later found with a 10 mm handgun that matched shell casings from the hospital room. Snelling said investigators recovered three weapons in all. The question of how the gun got into the hospital remains unresolved in public filings, and prosecutors have not said whether anyone else may face charges in connection with the weapon’s movement after the 2024 purchase.
Talley appeared Monday in Cook County court, where a judge ordered him held in custody. He faces charges including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, armed robbery, aggravated battery, escape and weapons offenses. Defense attorneys said they needed more time to speak with him and planned to seek a mental health evaluation. His next hearing was set for April 30. Court and corrections records described Talley as a repeat felon with prior convictions that included aggravated battery of a peace officer, stolen motor vehicle offenses, robbery and firearms cases.
The shooting drew a heavy police presence to the courthouse and to the hospital neighborhood, where officers, elected officials and police union leaders gathered as the cases moved forward. John Catanzara, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, said the wounded officer’s condition was “extremely grave.” Purple bunting was placed at the 17th District station, and flowers and blue ribbons were left as officers mourned Bartholomew. Ald. Andre Vasquez said the killing marked “a truly sad time for the city” as officials faced new questions about gun access, hospital security and repeat offenders.
Burgos’ case is pending in federal court in Indiana, while Talley’s case continues in Cook County. As of Monday, investigators had not publicly explained how the Glock moved from the 2024 purchase in Merrillville to the 2026 shooting at Swedish Hospital.
Author note: Last updated April 27, 2026.