Indiana Woman Admits To Buying Gun Feds Say Was Used In Deadly Swedish Hospital Shooting

CHICAGO — An Indiana woman signed a plea agreement Tuesday admitting to buying the pistol linked to April’s deadly Swedish Hospital shooting — saying she bought it two years prior for a then-boyfriend who was legally barred from possessing a gun.

Federal prosecutors charged Olivia Burgos, 23, of LaPorte, Indiana, just days after agents traced a pistol they said a man used to fatally shoot 10-year Chicago police veteran John Bartholomew, 38, and critically wound officer Nelson Crespo on April 25. On Tuesday, Burgos pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm when she bought the Glock, model 29, 10mm semi-automatic pistol from Range USA in Merrillville, Indiana, in May 2024.

Burgos, in her plea agreement, admitted that she knowingly provided an incorrect home address, lied about her fentanyl and heroin use at the time of her purchase and falsely stated that she was the lawful purchaser of the firearm, “whereas in truth and fact I knew I was purchasing it for my boyfriend at the time, who could not lawfully purchase a firearm.”

“I understand that if I had told the truth about these two facts, the federally licensed firearm dealer would have denied the transaction,” Burgos stated.

A message was left seeking comment from an attorney listed for Burgos.

Alphanso Talley, 27, was arrested and charged in connection with the Swedish Hospital shooting, but he is not named in the federal charges against Burgos. Law enforcement have not disclosed how Talley acquired the firearm he is accused of using in the shooting and during a preceding robbery.

Talley pleaded not guilty last month to a litany of charges including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery of a police officer. Cook County Judge Sophia Atcherson ordered Talley to remain detained as he awaits a trial. He is next scheduled to appear in court July 15 for a hearing regarding his fitness to stand trial. 

According to court papers, agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) traced the gun used in the shooting to Burgos’ original purchase at the Range USA chain’s Merrillville, Indiana, location. Federal gun charges were filed against Burgos in the Northern District of Indiana on April 27, two days after the Swedish Hospital shooting.

ProPublica reported in May that in the years before the Glock sale to Burgos, the Merrillville store had been cited for serious compliance failures on multiple occasions by the ATF, which is tasked with oversight of the nation’s gun retailers.

Burgos told agents who interviewed her soon after the trace that she bought the gun for her boyfriend — identified in charging documents only as “Individual A” — and that he was legally barred from buying or possessing firearms based on a prior felony conviction.

Under the terms of Tuesday’s plea agreement, Burgos faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or less. U.S. District Judge James Moody has not yet scheduled a sentencing date for Burgos.

A GoFundMe created to help with Crespo’s medical care has raised more than $38,000 as of Tuesday. It described Crespo’s journey to recovery as “long and challenging.” 

“He will require extensive rehabilitation for the foreseeable future, and his home will need significant modifications to accommodate his new needs,” according to the fundraising campaign.