Man charged in death of Loyola student Sheridan Gorman, killed in Chicago shooting, due in court Friday
The man accused of shooting and killing Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman is expected to face a judge on Friday.
This will be 25-year-old Jose Medina's first court appearance after he missed a hearing on Monday because he was in the hospital. Doctors were apparently treating Medina for tuberculosis earlier this week.
It's unclear if he will appear in court in person or virtually at 11:30 a.m.
Prosecutors filed a request for Medina's medical records on Monday, the same day they laid out their case against him in court.
Medina, 25, a Venezuelan migrant, is charged with one felony count of first-degree murder, one felony count of attempted first-degree murder, three felony counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, and one felony count of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.
The Department of Homeland Security wants the judge to order Medina held in custody.
Medina is accused of shooting and killing Loyola freshman Gorman, 18, on March 19 while she was walking with her friends near the pier at Tobey Prinz Beach at Pratt Boulevard to take in the Chicago skyline. Gorman was just 6 months into her college journey.
Police said they used surveillance video to track Medina to his apartment building, where they allegedly found a gun that matched bullet casings found at the scene.
The victim's loved ones are planning a celebration of life on Saturday in her home state of New York.
Gorman's family said earlier this week that her murder cannot be a case that fades from public attention. They released a statement Friday defending Loyola University.
Gorman Family Statement
We have been asked whether this tragedy changes how we view Loyola University Chicago. The answer is absolutely not. Shera and our family love Loyola.
We've also been asked whether students should feel safe there. The answer is yes.Sheridan chose Loyola because she felt at home there. She was happy, she was thriving, and she felt safe in that community. That was our experience as her parents as well.
What happened to Sheridan was not a reflection of the Loyola community. It was the result of a failure outside of it.
We do not want fear to take hold where it doesn't belong. Loyola is a place where young people grow, build friendships, and pursue their futures — just as Sheridan was doing.Our daughter's life should not be reduced to the circumstances of her death. She lived fully at Loyola, and we would want other students to have that same opportunity.
At the same time, we will continue to demand accountability and real change more broadly so that what happened to Sheridan does not happen to another family.Both things can be true: Loyola is a place of opportunity and safety, and there were failures outside the University that must be addressed.
