On Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson faced questions regarding the city’s immigration policies after addressing the tragic death of Sheridan Gorman. The young Loyola University student, aged 18, was allegedly killed by Jose Medina, a 25-year-old Venezuelan national, near Tobey Prinz Beach last Thursday. Medina was subsequently arrested on Friday in connection with the incident.
During his remarks, Mayor Johnson was pressed by a reporter on whether he would apologize to Gorman’s parents for policies that allegedly contributed to her death. “Will you take this opportunity to apologize to Sheridan’s parents for the policies that you have promoted, that have directly caused her death? That suspect would not be in the city, would not be in the country. But for your policies, will you take this opportunity to apologize?” the reporter asked.
Johnson responded by expressing his sorrow and emphasizing the broader issue of violence. “Once again, I believe that we’re all grieving the loss of Sheridan and other folks who have lost their lives because of senseless violence,” he stated. He also highlighted the historical context of the city’s policies, mentioning that the welcoming city ordinance was passed four decades ago under Chicago’s first Black mayor, while the Safety Act was enacted under a Republican governor.
Though Mayor Johnson has not yet had the opportunity to speak directly with Gorman’s family, he indicated his intention to reach out to them. This incident has sparked a renewed debate over immigration policies in Chicago, with public figures and citizens examining the impact of these regulations on community safety.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks at a rally in Chicago on Oct. 18, 2025. (Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images)
While Johnson said he hasn’t spoken with Gorman’s family yet, he plans to do so.
“There’s no words that one could express that could properly console a family that lost their baby. And my condolences to the Gorman family,” Johnson said.
He also called out President Donald Trump, who he says “refuses to be held accountable.”
Sheridan Gorman was allegedly killed by Jose Medina on a pier in Chicago. (Sheridan G. Gorman via Instagram, DHS, and Kamil Krzacynski for Fox News Digital)
“He points the finger at everything and everyone else versus doing some real self-reflection on what his responsibility is,” Johnson said.
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.
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.
In an earlier statement to Fox News Digital, the Gorman family said they are disappointed with policies that allowed Medina to remain in the country.
“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 wrote.
Sheridan Gorman was killed after being shot in the head while taking a walk with friends at Tobey Prinz Beach, located less than a mile from the Illinois’ campus, around 1 a.m. on Thursday, according to reports. (Sheridan G. Gorman via Instagram)
According to an arrest report obtained by Fox News Digital, Medina was seen on video in his apartment building’s lobby waiting for an elevator while he wasn’t masked after the alleged shooting. A building engineer told police that he knew the suspect who had a “very distinct limp and gait.”
Following the shooting at 1:06 a.m. on Thursday, according to the arrest report, a male in black clothing, wearing a black mask and walking with a “distinct limp and slow gait” was seen walking from the location of the shooting to Pratt Boulevard at 1:12 a.m. Just a few minutes later, the individual was seen walking northbound through the east alley of Sheridan Road before he entered the back of his apartment complex.
Sheridan Gorman stands outside Soldier Field ahead of a Chicago Bears game in Chicago. (Sheridan G. Gorman via Instagram)
Images of the suspect were sent to a police database, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection identified the suspect as Medina. He was arrested at his apartment in Rogers Park, according to the arrest report.
Medina told officials in 2023 that he was living at Leone Beach Park fieldhouse in Rogers Park in 2023, which was being used as a city-sponsored shelter for migrants. The city-sponsored shelter closed in 2024, according to South Side Weekly.
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