A man accused of fatally shooting an 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago freshman has been charged with first-degree murder, and federal immigration officials say he was in the country illegally.
Jose Medina, 25, a Venezuelan national, was arrested by Chicago police on Friday (March 21) and is expected to appear in court Monday (March 23) for a detention hearing. The victim, Sheridan Gorman, was shot and killed in the early hours of Thursday (March 19) while walking with friends near Tobey Prinz Beach Park, less than a mile from Loyola’s Lake Shore campus.
Chicago police say Medina approached Gorman’s group around 1:30 a.m., pulled out a gun, and fired. Gorman was shot in the head and later pronounced dead.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Medina entered the country illegally and was first apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in May 2023, then released. The following month, he was arrested in Chicago on a shoplifting charge and released again. Court records show he never appeared for that retail theft hearing, and an arrest warrant was issued.
DHS issued an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer and is urging Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago officials to keep Medina behind bars. DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement that Gorman “was failed by open border policies and sanctuary politicians.”
Gorman’s family released a statement saying, “Our beloved daughter, Sheridan, was taken from us this morning in Chicago. There is no way to soften this, this was murder. Sheridan was the light of our lives. She made people feel seen, safe, and loved simply by being who she was.”
The family also addressed immigration policy directly, saying, “We are gravely disappointed by the policies and failures that allowed this individual to remain in a position to commit this crime. When systems fail, whether through release decisions, lack of coordination, or unwillingness to act, the consequences are not abstract. They are real. And in our case, they are permanent.”
An attorney for the Gorman family added, “Sheridan was 18. She had her entire life ahead of her, her education, her future, her family, the countless lives she would have touched. All of that was taken in a moment, and there is no way to repair that loss.”
Loyola University president Mark Reed said in a statement, “This is a tragic loss, and our hearts go out to Sheridan’s family, loved ones, and all who knew her.” Reed said the university is offering counseling services and is in contact with law enforcement.
Medina faces first-degree murder and weapons charges. His detention hearing is scheduled for Monday (March 23) afternoon.
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