The tragic killing of a Loyola University Chicago student has brought attention to the suspect’s background, revealing a troubling criminal history and his entry into the United States under the current administration. Officials report that Jose Medina, a 25-year-old Venezuelan national, is accused of murdering 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman in an incident that has shocked the local community.
Medina’s arrest took place on Friday following the fatal shooting of Gorman, a freshman from Westchester County, New York. Described by police as an ambush, the attack occurred while Gorman was with friends. As she attempted to escape, she was tragically shot and pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses noted that the assailant was reportedly disguising his identity with a mask or face covering during the attack.
The arrest happened in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, not far from where the crime unfolded. Although Medina was slated to appear in court on Monday afternoon, the proceedings were delayed. According to Chicago police sources, Medina remains hospitalized, quarantined due to a possible contagious condition, potentially Tuberculosis.
Further investigations into Medina’s background uncovered that he had been detained by the U.S. Border Patrol on May 9, 2023. Subsequently, he was released into the country during President Biden’s administration, as confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security. This aspect of the case has sparked discussions regarding immigration policies and their implications for public safety.
The community continues to mourn the loss of Sheridan Gorman, whose promising life was cut short in a senseless act of violence. Her death has left a profound impact on her peers at Loyola University Chicago and her family back in New York.
Medina, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol on May 9, 2023, and was released into the U.S. under the Biden administration, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Following an arrest for shoplifting in Chicago, Medina was released on June 19, 2023, DHS said.
He was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, three felony counts of aggravated assault with discharge of firearm and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, according to the Chicago Police Department.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged an arrest detainer against Medina following the alleged murder.
Jose Medina, a Venezuelan national, was also arrested for shoplifting and released before the alleged murder, DHS confirmed. (DHS)
“We are calling on Governor Pritzker and Chicago’s sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this criminal illegal alien from jail back into American neighborhoods,” DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said.
In a new statement to Fox News, Gorman’s family said their daughter’s death was a result of systemic failure within the immigration system.
Sheridan Gorman died after being shot in the head while taking a walk with friends at Tobey Prinz Beach Park, located less than a mile from the Illinois’ campus, around 1 a.m. on Thursday, according to reports. (Sheridan G. Gorman via Instagram)
“We are gravely disappointed by the policies and failures that allowed this individual to remain in a position to commit this crime. 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,” the family said. “This case must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of both state and federal law. There can be no gaps, no shortcuts, and no second chances that put others at risk. Accountability must be complete.”
In October, Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker posted a satirical video from the streets of Chicago while he was wearing a bullet-proof vest, trying to make a point about how safe the city is.
Alderwoman Maria Hadden told Fox 32 Chicago that Gorman’s death seemed to be a case of “wrong place at the wrong time.”
“The kids were out doing normal things people do in the neighborhood,” she said. “They may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, running into a person who had a gun.”
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