The suspect charged in the fatal shooting of a Loyola University Chicago student was in the United States illegally, the Department of Homeland Security said.
Jose Medina-Medina, 25, was arrested by Chicago police on a charge of first-degree murder for allegedly killing 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman, a freshman from New York, while walking with friends early Thursday near Lake Michigan.
Police said the shooting took place around 1:30 a.m. along the lakefront near Tobey Prinz Beach, where a masked gunman approached the group and opened fire, striking Gorman in the head. She was pronounced dead at the scene, and officials have said the attack did not target her specifically.
Chicago police said Medina-Medina was arrested after investigators used surveillance footage and witness accounts to identify him shortly after the shooting. He faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault/discharge of a firearm, and one felony count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon/no Firearm Owner’s Identification Card.
Federal officials said Medina-Medina migrated from Venezuela and entered the U.S. illegally in 2023, according to DHS statements reported by multiple outlets.
The case has quickly entered the national debate over immigration policy. DHS spokeswoman Lauren Bis said Gorman was “failed by open border policies and sanctuary politicians.”
Medina-Medina had previously been arrested on shoplifting charges but was released, DHS said. Following DHS’s release of information, Gorman’s family condemned the policies that allowed Medina-Medina to be released.
“We are gravely disappointed by the policies and failures that allowed this individual to remain in a position to commit this crime,” the family said in a statement. “When systems fail—whether through release decisions, lack of coordination, or unwillingness to act—the consequences are not abstract. They are real. And in our case, they are permanent.”
DHS also said Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer request to ensure the suspect remains in custody during the criminal proceedings.
Cracking down on immigration has been central to President Donald Trump’s second term. In 2024, his campaign heavily highlighted Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student killed by an illegal immigrant while she was jogging.
TRUMP MAY DEPLOY NATIONAL GUARD TO ASSIST TSA AMID SHUTDOWN
Since taking office, Trump has repeatedly criticized Illinois leaders, including Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL), for his “sanctuary city policies.”
Pritzker and the state of Illinois had implemented rules barring local and state law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials. The Trump administration challenged the rules in court, but a judge dismissed the case.
