Illinois Governor JB Pritzker traveled to Minnesota to honor two Americans killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during protests in Minneapolis. However, he has not addressed the death of an 18-year-old Loyola University student allegedly murdered by a Venezuelan migrant in Chicago.
Governor’s Trip to Minnesota Memorial
In late January, Pritzker, a 61-year-old Democrat and one of the nation’s wealthiest politicians, visited a memorial site for Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37. The two died during clashes at ICE protests. Pritzker posted photos on social media showing himself placing flowers at the site.
Chicago Student’s Tragic Death
Sheridan Gorman, a freshman at Loyola University, died after a shooting early Thursday morning. She was walking with friends along Lake Michigan around 1:30 a.m. when Jose Medina-Medina, dressed in black and wearing a face mask, approached and allegedly shot her in the head. Gorman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Medina-Medina, apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in 2023 and released, faces charges. Just over a month later, authorities arrested him for shoplifting, but he was released again, according to Department of Homeland Security records.
Public Backlash and Governor’s Silence
Pritzker has not commented on Gorman’s death, despite it occurring in his state. Social media users flooded the comments on his recent Sunday post with criticism. One wrote, “Maybe keeping our students from being murdered should come first, Big Boy. Sheridan had no accelerated opportunity.” Others posted her name in all caps, shared her photo, and accused state policies of contributing to the incident.
“And yet, Sheridan Gorman is still dead,” one user stated. Another added, “You have Sheridan Gorman’s blood on your hands with your disgusting Sanctuary State Policies. No statement from you either.”
In September, Pritzker shared a video praising the “absolutely gorgeous” Chicago lakeside trail on the South Side—the same location where Gorman was killed. “Here on the Southside. Early morning. Lots of runners coming by on the lakefront path… Just gorgeous,” he said.
DHS Response
DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis addressed the case, stating, “Sheridan Gorman had her whole life ahead of her before this cold-blooded killer decided to end her life. She was failed by open border policies and sanctuary politicians who RELEASED this illegal alien TWICE before he went on to commit this heinous murder.”
Bis urged officials like Pritzker to ensure such individuals remain detained.
Gorman’s Background and Family Statement
Gorman hailed from Yorktown Heights, New York, an affluent suburb in Westchester County. She lived in a $1 million home with parents Thomas and Jessica Gorman until attending college at Yorktown High School, a top-rated public institution.
Her family issued a statement: “Our beloved daughter, Sheridan, was taken from us this morning in Chicago. There is no way to soften this – this was murder. Sheridan was the light of our lives. She made people feel seen, safe, and loved simply by being who she was.”
They continued, “We trusted that she would be safe. That trust was broken. Someone made a deliberate choice that stole our daughter and forever changed our family.” The family demands answers and justice for the perpetrator. They have traveled to Chicago to retrieve her body.
Similar Case: Laken Riley Murder
Gorman’s death echoes the February 22, 2024, killing of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student. Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan who entered the U.S. illegally and had prior arrests, attacked her while jogging. She died from blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.
Ibarra received a life sentence without parole in November 2024 after conviction on all charges. Nine days into his second term, President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act, requiring detention of undocumented immigrants arrested for certain crimes like theft or assault.
