It’s a question many are asking.

The 18-year-old college freshman was on Chicago’s lakefront looking at the stars with friends when she was shot and killed. Jose Medina is accused in the shooting. His motive is unknown.

The Department of Homeland Security says Medina entered this country illegally in 2023.

His only previous arrest appears to be a misdemeanor for shoplifting from Macy’s that year. He missed a court hearing. An arrest warrant was issued but he remained free.
Sheridan Gorman
The shooting has garnered statewide and national attention
More: Man charged in fatal shooting of Loyola University freshman along lakefront not expected to appear in court Monday
“I agree there have been real failures,” Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said. “Those failures, of course, extend beyond the borders of Illinois. They are national failures to have comprehensive immigration reform.  A failure of the president to follow his own edict to go after the worst of the worst.”

Sheridan’s family is taking issue with the governor.

They released a statement that read:

We acknowledge Governor Pritzker’s recent comments regarding Sheridan’s murder and his statement that there were “real failures.” We appreciate that he has now, five days after our daughter, Sheridan’s murder that he has finally spoken publicly about Sheridan.

But Sheridan’s death cannot be reduced to a general “tragedy,” nor can it be explained away by broad references to failures somewhere else. Sheridan was a daughter, a sister, and a young woman whose life was taken in a way that should never have been possible.

This was not abstract. It was preventable.

We are not interested in political arguments or in watching responsibility shift from one place to another. If there were failures—as the Governor himself has acknowledged—then every one of them must be identified, examined, and addressed directly. The location of those failures matters less than the willingness to confront them honestly.

Our daughter is not a policy debate. She is a life that was taken, and that demands accountability.

Calling this a tragedy is not enough. There must be a full and transparent accounting of what went wrong.

We will not allow Sheridan’s name to be used in political arguments—but we will insist that her loss leads to real answers and real change.

We expect leadership that is willing to face difficult truths without deflection. We stand ready to engage with any public official, including the Governor, who is committed to ensuring that what happened to Sheridan does not happen again to another family. (ben)

A key question is if Illinois was “not” a sanctuary state, would Medina have been on the street to allegedly carry out the crime?

If that shoplifting case had happened in Alabama, for example, would the local police have called ICE for a misdemeanor back in 2023 and had him deported? It’s certainly possible.

But research suggests misdemeanor arrests in non-sanctuary states didn’t always lead to a phone call to ICE.

Sheridan’s family said they don’t want her name being used in political arguments but they do hope her loss leads to real answers and change.

They’re demanding a full accounting of what went wrong and say they’re willing to work with the governor or any politician committed to ensuring what happened to Sheridan does not happen again to another family.

The family also responded to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johson’s comments on the shooting. They issued a statement that read:

We acknowledge Mayor Johnson’s statement five days after our daughter, Sheridan’s murder and his condolences to our family, as well as his recognition of the work of the Chicago Police Department.

But what happened to Sheridan cannot be reduced to a “senseless tragedy,” nor can it be explained in general terms about public safety. Sheridan was our daughter. She was 18 years old. She was doing something entirely normal—walking near her campus with friends. She should be here.

This was not random. It was not inevitable. And it cannot be treated as though it were.

We appreciate the efforts of law enforcement in making an arrest. But safety is not defined by how quickly a case is solved after the fact. It is defined by whether a young woman like Sheridan is protected in the first place.

Our daughter was not in the wrong place at the wrong time. The system failed her.

Calling this ‘senseless’ is not enough. There must be a clear and honest accounting of what went wrong.”

We are not interested in rhetoric. We are asking for accountability.

We will not allow Sheridan’s life to be reduced to a talking point or a generalization. We expect leadership that is willing to confront hard truths and ensure that what happened to her does not happen again.

We stand ready to engage with the Mayor and any public official willing to approach this with seriousness, transparency, and a commitment to real change.

The family also acknowledged their local police department in a statement that read,

The Gorman family extends its deepest gratitude to the Yorktown Police Department and the many law enforcement agencies who escorted Sheridan home yesterday.

What could have been an unbearable journey was carried out with dignity, honor, and profound respect. We are deeply thankful for the care shown to our daughter and to our family in that moment.

This escort was just one example of the extraordinary support we have received from law enforcement, local officials, and the community at large. Your compassion has helped carry us through the most difficult days of our lives.

We will never forget how you brought our daughter home.

On behalf of our entire family, thank you for your service, your kindness, and your humanity.