Facial recognition technology played a crucial role in identifying the individual accused of aiding suspected cop killer Alphonso Talley in a violent robbery at an Albany Park dollar store last weekend. This incident occurred less than four hours before Talley allegedly used a concealed firearm to shoot two Chicago Police Department officers who were guarding him during a medical exam at a hospital, according to officials.
This development emerges as four state legislators have backed a bill aimed at prohibiting law enforcement agencies throughout Illinois from using facial recognition as an investigative tool.
Like Talley, 18-year-old Jeron Tate has a significant criminal history, although his offenses were committed as a juvenile, prosecutors noted on Friday. While evading electronic monitoring for charges including shoplifting, trespassing, and armed robbery, Tate embarked on a crime spree on January 4, 2025. His spree included a carjacking and armed robberies at a 7-Eleven, a Subway restaurant, a Walgreens, and a Family Dollar. Two days later, he skipped a court appearance and subsequently received an 18-month juvenile detention sentence. He is currently on parole, according to prosecutors.
Tate now faces accusations of reverting to his previous criminal behavior, allegedly collaborating with Talley to target the Family Dollar located at 3239 West Lawrence Avenue as it opened around 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 25.
Maria Velazquez, a 55-year-old woman, was working alone in the store when the two men entered. Talley allegedly attacked her with a 10mm firearm, breaking her nose and bruising her eyes, prosecutors stated.
Video footage purportedly showed Talley holding Velazquez at gunpoint while the men stole her wallet and keys and forced open the cash register, taking $110 that contained a hidden GPS tracker. Chicago police officers began tracking the device immediately and located Talley near the 3400 block of North Troy Street within minutes as he ordered an Uber, prosecutors reported.
Detectives discovered Velazquez’s belongings in a nearby trash can, found blood-stained money in Talley’s pocket, and determined that the robbers fled on two Lime scooters rented through an account linked to a Gmail address with Talley’s name.
Talley allegedly feigned swallowing drugs to be taken to a hospital, a tactic he had used in at least three previous arrests, according to reports reviewed by CWB Chicago. As he was about to undergo a CT scan at Swedish Hospital, Talley reportedly drew a 10mm firearm from beneath his blanket and shot both officers guarding him, fatally wounding 10-year veteran John Bartholomew and critically injuring a 57-year-old officer with 21 years of service.
While police had Talley in custody, his alleged accomplice evaded capture. The tracker continued moving, leading police to find it on a shelf at Jewel-Osco, 3570 North Elston Avenue. Surveillance footage allegedly showed Tate placing it there. Prosecutors claim Tate went home and bragged to his girlfriend about robbing a Family Dollar and his accomplice using a 10mm handgun.
Investigators processed surveillance images using facial recognition software and identified Tate as a potential suspect, prosecutors stated on Friday. Two detectives who had previously arrested Tate for other robberies recognized him, officials said.
Judge John Hock has detained Talley on several charges, including armed robbery, aggravated armed kidnapping, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, and aggravated unlawful restraint.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to assist Velazquez.
“This incredible woman is no stranger to difficult battles. Last year, she bravely overcame cancer, showing a level of strength and resilience that inspires everyone who knows her,” said the campaign’s organizer, Raquel Olivares. “Now, she is facing yet another difficult challenge.”
As of Sunday morning, the campaign had raised $3,609.
Tate’s arrest is the latest instance of facial recognition technology assisting in investigations, amid efforts by a North Side lawmaker to ban its use. Rep. Kelly Cassidy’s proposed bill would prevent any local or state law enforcement agency in Illinois from accessing a facial recognition database and would prohibit agencies from bypassing this ban by contracting third parties.
The bill did not advance out of the Illinois House Judiciary – Civil Committee before adjournment in March and has been sent back to the Rules Committee. However, it has gained three new co-sponsors from Chicago — Rep. Kevin Olickal from the Far North Side, Rep. Lilian Jiménez of Humboldt Park, and Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock of Villa Park — indicating ongoing support for the initiative.
CWB Chicago has previously reported on numerous violent crimes, many occurring on the CTA, where detectives developed key leads by analyzing surveillance images with facial recognition databases, often using data from the Illinois Secretary of State.
These cases have included murders, rapes, robberies, and kidnappings. Shortly after such a report, facial recognition helped identify Jose Miranda, accused of murdering Loyola University freshman Sheridan Gorman near Loyola Beach — a crime in Cassidy’s district.
Last month, Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke highlighted facial recognition as a vital tool in combating crime on the CTA.
Critics of Cassidy’s bill, such as Tom Weitzel, the retired police chief in suburban Riverside, argue that facial recognition is a critical investigative tool, stating that the proposed legislation would effectively eliminate its use rather than regulate it. Weitzel described the technology as “one of the most important investigative tools to come along in policing in 50 years.”
The ACLU of Illinois supports the proposed ban, acknowledging it would end the use of facial recognition by law enforcement. Some propose a compromise: establishing best practices, prohibiting arrests based solely on a facial recognition match, requiring officer training and certification, and mandating the purging of biometric data for anyone cleared as a suspect within 72 hours.
An ACLU representative noted the absence of cases in Illinois where charges were based solely on a facial recognition match without additional evidence, though they pointed out the difficulty in assessing the situation due to limited public reporting on the use of these tools.
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