CHICAGO — Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old freshman at Loyola University, was shot and killed by a masked gunman around 1:30 a.m. on March 19 while walking with friends near Chicago's lakefront. Gorman, who was from Yorktown, New York, died at the scene.

A masked man carrying a gun approached the group and opened fire, striking Gorman. Jose Medina was arrested a few days after the shooting and has been charged with first-degree murder and other offenses. He is being held without bond at the Cook County jail.

Medina, an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela, first entered the United States in 2023. Records show he was charged with theft in Chicago in 2023 and released on bond. He failed to appear for his court date, resulting in an arrest warrant, and he remained free until his arrest in connection with the shooting. Assistant Public Defender Julie Koehler called the case "a tragedy." She said Medina had been shot in the head as a teenager and has the mental capacity of a child.

Gorman's parents have spoken publicly about their daughter's death and called for policy changes. "I don't care what side of the aisle politically people are on, or is right in the middle like us. This can't happen. We've got to make changes," Jessica Gorman said.

Her husband echoed that appeal. "We all should be able to agree about the safety of our kids," Thomas Gorman said.

Asked what specific changes they were seeking, Gorman said, "I don't think we know yet." Thomas Gorman pointed to the circumstances that preceded the shooting. "There's definitely policies that, that contributed to this happening, and we can't save Sheridan. But we can't just not do anything," he said.