Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has made a bold claim regarding the tragic shooting of Sheridan Gorman in Chicago, attributing the incident to a gang initiation involving an illegal immigrant.

The accused, 25-year-old Jose Medina-Medina, is alleged to have fatally shot Gorman, aged 18, on March 19. The incident occurred around 1:06 a.m. while Gorman was with friends at a pier in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Medina-Medina reportedly entered the United States illegally on May 9, 2023, and was subsequently detained and released under the Biden administration’s policies, as confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security.

Blagojevich took to social media platform X, expressing his suspicion that Medina-Medina is being kept in isolation to conceal the circumstances surrounding Gorman’s death, which he believes was a gang initiation act.

“Sheridan Gorman’s killer is being held in isolation. I suspect Pritzker & the Dems are hiding him to COVER-UP the fact that this illegal immigrant killed an innocent young girl as part of a GANG INITIATION. I know gangbangers & how they operate. I lived with them for 8 years. And I know Pritzker & the Dems,” Blagojevich asserted. “Bet you I’m right.”

Blagojevich, known for his controversial tenure as governor, further stated his belief that political motives are at play in the handling of the case. In the wake of this tragedy, those who knew Gorman remember her fondly as someone who uplifted others, making them feel “seen, valued, and believed in.”

Gorman was described as someone who was “everyone’s cheerleader,” as those who knew her said she had a way of making others “feel seen, valued, and believed in.”

Sheridan Gorman, a New York native, was reportedly only a few months away from completing her freshman year at Loyola University Chicago in Illinois. (Sheridan G. Gorman via Instagram)

“People often say someone ‘lit up a room’ or had “inner and outer beauty,” but in Sheridan’s case, those phrases fall way too short. She radiated something even greater—a rare and unmistakable warmth, a spirit that was vibrant, compassionate, and full of life,” according to an obituary for Gorman. “She loved fiercely—her family, her friends, her community, and her faith. She brought people together, lifted them up, and made the ordinary moments feel extraordinary simply by being in them.”

Medina-Medina was scheduled to appear in court on Monday but the hearing was postponed because he’s hospitalized with tuberculosis. The hearing is scheduled for Friday morning.

Medina-Medina in 2023 was charged with shoplifting after prosecutors said he stole just over $130 in merchandise from a Macy’s in downtown Chicago. 

He failed to appear for a court hearing for the shoplifting charge, resulting in a failure to appear warrant being issued. That warrant was still active when he allegedly shot and killed Gorman, according to court records.

Jose Medina-Medina, a Venezuelan national, was also arrested for shoplifting and released before the alleged murder, DHS confirmed.  (DHS)

A police source earlier told Fox News that the shooting was an apparent ambush, adding that the suspect was reportedly wearing some kind of face mask or covering. 

An arrest report obtained by Fox News Digital states that after the shooting, Medina was seen on video in his apartment building’s lobby waiting for an elevator while he wasn’t masked. A building engineer told police that he knew the suspect who had a “very distinct limp and gait.”

Sheridan Gorman smiles alongside the Chicago skyline in Illinois.  (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.

Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital show that Medina told officials 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.