Sea of blue floods Chicago funeral for slain officer as killing fuels outrage over soft-on-crime policies

About 2,000 police officers, elected officials and law enforcement gathered Friday for the funeral of Chicago Police Department Officer John Bartholomew, who was allegedly killed by Alphanso Talley, 26, a man free on pretrial release at the time of the shooting on April 25. Bartholomew's partner, Officer Nelson Crespo, was also allegedly shot by Talley at Swedish Hospital on Chicago's North Side.

When Talley was accused of murdering Bartholomew, he was out of jail on pretrial release for a previous armed robbery case. A warrant for his arrest was issued on March 11 while he was on pretrial release for the alleged armed robbery after he had two electronic monitor violations in early March, according to court documents.

"To the children - your father was a hero. His legacy will live on," Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling said at the funeral. "As John is to be laid to rest. The only thing that I would like to see laid to rest alongside John is violence. Those who go out and do harm to others. Those who take and destroy lives."

Bartholomew, who was with the Chicago Police Department for 10 years, is survived by his wife and three children.

James Bartholomew said at the funeral that his brother had a "heart of gold."

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"If you worked with him. If you talked to him, if you laughed with him, if you walked with him. You are feeling what I'm feeling right now. It's as if an angel has left the earth. If you knew him. You knew his heart was full. His heart was pure," he said.

He was wanted after allegedly robbing a Family Dollar store and pistol-whipping a female employee, taking her wallet and keys.

Talley was charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated unlawful restraint, armed robbery, aggravated discharge of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, aggravated battery of a peace officer, aggravated battery, escape and unlawful use of a weapon.

Fox News' Patrick McGovern and Philip Bodinet contributed to this report.