Additional Coverage:
- Slain Loyola Chicago student’s family fumes over ‘murder,’ manhunt for masked gunman in attack near campus (foxnews.com)
Loyola University Student Killed in Random Shooting Near Campus; Family Demands Answers
CHICAGO – The community of Loyola University Chicago is reeling after 18-year-old student Sheridan Gorman was tragically shot and killed near campus early Thursday morning. Her family is now seeking answers as police actively hunt for the masked shooter responsible for what appears to be a random act of violence.
Gorman, a freshman at Loyola, was taking a walk with friends around 1 a.m. at Tobey Prinz Beach, less than a mile from the university, when a male suspect approached their group and opened fire, striking her in the head. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Our beloved daughter, Sheridan, was taken from us this morning in Chicago. There is no way to soften this – this was murder,” her family stated in a heartbreaking message to NBC Chicago.
“Sheridan was the light of our lives. She made people feel seen, safe, and loved simply by being who she was.
She lived her faith with kindness, compassion, and joy, and she loved her family and friends deeply.”
Authorities believe Gorman was not the intended target of the shooting. A campus safety alert issued to students indicated the incident occurred around 1:15 a.m. on the Tobey Beach pier and described the perpetrator as wearing a face covering. Chicago police are investigating potential links to other recent violent incidents in the area.
Loyola University Chicago President Mark C. Reed confirmed Gorman’s death in a letter to the campus community on Thursday morning.
“It is with profound sadness that I write to share that one of our students, Sheridan Gorman, was killed earlier today,” Reed stated. “This is a tragic loss, and our hearts go out to Sheridan’s family, loved ones, and all who knew her.”
The university has assured students that based on available information, there is no ongoing threat to campus. Resources are being made available to assist members of the community grappling with this profound loss.
Gorman, a native of Yorktown Heights, New York, was just months away from completing her freshman year. As of now, police have not released a description of the suspect, and no arrests have been made. The Chicago Police Department has not yet commented further on the ongoing investigation.