Parents of slain Loyola student Sheridan Gorman say it was "a preventable murder"

The parents of an 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago freshman who was fatally shot past period are speaking publically for the archetypal time, describing the decease of their daughter, Sheridan Gorman, arsenic "a preventable murder." They are besides demanding accountability for why the suspect, an undocumented immigrant, was successful the United States and retired connected the thoroughfare contempt a erstwhile arrest.

At astir 1:30 a.m. connected March 19, Sheridan Gorman was walking with friends on Lake Michigan, hoping to drawback a glimpse of the bluish lights. The radical was astir a artifact and a fractional from Loyola's field erstwhile Chicago constabulary accidental she encountered a masked gunman astatine the extremity of a pier.

"He, like, moved towards her threateningly," Jessica Gorman, Sheridan's mother, told CBS News, recounting what she'd learned of the events. "She turned astir and she warned her friends that determination was a antheral with a weapon and you request to run. And they ran."

Thomas Gorman, Sheridan's father, said his girl made it astir 40 feet earlier she was changeable successful the backmost and neck. She died astatine the scene. Chicago constabulary person said the shooting appeared random. 

"She was a truly astonishing person, I really grieve not lone the radical she touched successful this life, but the radical she won't touch," Jessica Gorman said. "… No 1 should person to woody with the constabulary coming to your doorway astatine 6 a.m., falling to your knees erstwhile you perceive the quality that nary genitor should ever hear."

"There's thing that prepares you for going to the aesculapian examiner's bureau and filling retired the paperwork," Thomas Gorman said. "Your manus is trembling. And past you person to spell place your daughter's body. And they inquire you if you're ready, and thing makes you acceptable for that."

The household was told her informing apt saved the lives of her friends.

"Presumably, that's what we heard," Jessica Gorman said. "They accidental it was a senseless tragedy. It wasn't. It was a murder. It was a preventable murder."  

Chicago constabulary arrested 26-year-old Jose Medina connected charges including first-degree execution and amerciable possession of a firearm successful transportation with the slaying. Medina has not yet entered a plea and is acceptable to beryllium arraigned adjacent week.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Medina is simply a Venezuelan who entered the state illegally successful 2023. 

Julie Koehler, a nationalist defender who is Medina's lawyer, said successful a connection to CBS News that successful 2018, Medina had been robbed astatine gunpoint successful Colombia and was changeable successful the head. "He survived but mislaid a information of his encephalon and his skull, leaving him with the intelligence capableness of a child," she said.

Jessica and Thomas Gorman quality Koehler's assessment.

"He had the intelligence capableness and the wherewithal to bargain a gun, to person a disguise on, and to beryllium waiting," Jessica Gorman said. "The disguise was on, and helium had a weapon pointed astatine my girl erstwhile she passed him."

Added Thomas Gorman, "A kid does not bash that."

DHS said Medina was archetypal apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol successful May 2023 and released into the state nether the Biden administration.

A small implicit a period later, helium was caught shoplifting successful Chicago, arrested and released again, DHS said. An apprehension warrant was issued aft helium didn't amusement up to a tribunal hearing.

Jessica Gorman said the mates are "still trying to explore" the policies they judge led up to the shooting.

"Clearly determination needs to beryllium immoderate practice betwixt authorities and section authorities and national officials," Thomas Gorman said. "When idiosyncratic commits a transgression and they've been present illegally, determination needs to beryllium cooperation. He was, you know, helium was arrested for, yes, a nonviolent crime, but helium besides was present illegally. In our mind, helium should've been handed implicit to the feds astatine that point."

The Trump medication has utilized Sheridan Gorman's decease to propulsion for a tougher stance connected immigration.

While her parents accidental they don't privation their daughter's decease to beryllium astir politics, they bash privation accountability.

"I don't cognize what the longevity of this effort takes, but I volition ne'er rest," Jessica Gorman said. "And yes, they've awakened a bear. They've awakened a large grizzly mama bear. I got to combat for my child. I person to combat for yours. I person to crook this devastating acheronian into airy somehow."