The family of Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old Loyola University freshman who was shot and killed on the Chicago lakefront in March, sat down with Martha MacCallum on Fox News Channel’s The Story to discuss the loss of their daughter and the circumstances they believe led to her death.
Sheridan was just seven months into her first year of college when she was killed while walking with friends on a pier near a lighthouse. According to her father, Thomas Gorman, Sheridan was walking ahead of the group when she encountered an armed man in a mask. She turned to warn her friends to run, but was shot in the back.
“I don’t understand what kind of person could shoot a child in the back as they’re running away,” Thomas Gorman said during the interview.
The suspect in the case, 25-year-old Jose Medina, is an illegal immigrant who entered the country in 2023. Federal records indicate he had been previously arrested for retail theft in Chicago but was released and failed to appear for a subsequent court date.
READ: Nightmare In Florida: Illegal Immigrant Arrested For Kidnapping, Assault Of 17-Year-Old Girl
The Gorman family—Thomas, Jessica, and Sheridan’s sister, Madelon—expressed deep frustration with policies they believe prioritize undocumented individuals over the safety of American citizens. Jessica Gorman noted that her daughter’s death was not “senseless violence” but rather a “preventable” tragedy.
“ICE could have saved our daughter twice,” Jessica Gorman said, referring to the suspect’s prior interactions with law enforcement. “I don’t understand what these politicians are thinking. To me, things like that show that they value these undocumented migrants more than they value our American citizens.”
The interview also touched on the emotional toll the last seven weeks have taken on the family. Sheridan and her sister Madelon were only 11 months apart and had planned to spend the summer together in Nashville.
“She was supposed to be my maid of honor one day,” Madelon Gorman said. “You never imagine losing your sister so young. You’re supposed to go through life together.”
Despite their grief, the Gormans say they are speaking out to advocate for policy changes regarding border enforcement and cooperation between local police and federal immigration authorities. They criticized recent rhetoric from Illinois and New York leaders, including a Chicago snowplow naming contest that featured the name “Abolish ICE” shortly after the murder.
“I worry that we live in a society now where ideology is driving policy,” Thomas Gorman stated. “If the purpose of local law enforcement is to create safe streets, then cooperation with ICE is one way to do that.”
The family mentioned they received a supportive, non-political phone call from President Donald Trump, who spoke to them “as a father and a grandfather.”
As the legal process moves forward, with a court date for the suspect scheduled for June 1, the Gormans are focused on honoring Sheridan’s memory.
Thomas Gorman ended the interview with a message for other parents: “Give your kids a big hug. Tell them that you love them, because that’s the one thing that gives us solace, is knowing that Sheridan knew how much we loved her.”
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