Charges filed in fatal shooting of Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman
Charges were filed on Sunday in the deadly shooting of Loyola University freshman Sheridan Gorman last week.
Jose Medina, 25, was charged with one felony count of first-degree murder, one felony count of attempted first-degree murder, three felony counts of aggravated assault/discharge of a firearm, and one felony count of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.
The charges come after Chicago police said that they were questioning a person of interest over the weekend.
The shooting happened last Thursday as Gorman, 18, was walking with her friends near the pier at Tobey Prinz Beach at Pratt Boulevard to see the Northern Lights. That's when police said a masked gunman approached the group and opened fire.
She was struck in the head and died at the scene. Police said the shooting was random.
Medina is a Venezuelan migrant who was living in the U.S. illegally, the Department of Homeland Security told CBS News.
According to DHS, Medina has been in the U.S. since 2023. He was previously charged with retail theft at the Macy's on State Street in September 2023 and was released on bond. He did not show up for court, and a warrant was issued for his arrest, which is still outstanding.
DHS said in a statement Sunday it had requested an immigration detainer for Medina.
Gorman's family on Sunday released a statement prior to the charges, saying in part:
"Sheridan was the heart of our family. She had a rare ability to bring people together—to make others feel included, understood, and loved. She lived with intention, with faith, and with a kindness that defined who she was every single day. She was just beginning her journey, with so much ahead of her.
"She was doing something entirely normal — walking with friends, close to home, in an area where she had every reason to feel safe. There was nothing unusual about her being there. There was nothing that should have placed her in harm's way.
"This was not inevitable. This was a choice. And our daughter paid the price for it."
Gorman graduated from Yorktown High School in Yorktown, Westchester County, New York, last year before attending Loyola University Chicago.
The Yorktown community honored Gorman and her family on Saturday, with residents using light bulbs tinted in one of Yorktown's school colors, green, to show support.
Gorman's family said that private and public services will be held in Yorktown next week. A fundraiser is also in place to create a memorial or scholarship in Gorman's honor.
Medina is scheduled to appear in court for a detention hearing on Monday.
