Venezuelan Migrant Arrested in Fatal Shooting of Loyola Chicago Student Sheridan Gorman Near Campus
Chicago police arrested a 25-year-old Venezuelan migrant in the fatal shooting of Loyola University Chicago student Sheridan Gorman, who was killed around 1:15 a.m. on the Tobey Prinz Beach pier near campus; authorities say the suspect was identified within minutes because of a distinct limp. Gorman’s family called the killing “murder” and university president Mark C. Reed confirmed her death as a tragic loss, while police say she may not have been the intended target and are probing possible links to other nearby violent incidents.
📌 Key Facts
- Sheridan Gorman, a Loyola University Chicago student, was fatally shot near campus on the Tobey Prinz Beach pier at about 1:15 a.m.
- Loyola University Chicago President Mark C. Reed sent a letter confirming Gorman’s death and calling it a tragic loss.
- Gorman’s family issued a statement to NBC Chicago calling her killing “murder” and describing her as someone who “made people feel seen, safe, and loved.”
- Chicago police say the shooter was masked, that they believe Gorman was not the intended target, and that investigators are probing possible ties to other recent violent incidents nearby.
- Chicago police arrested a 25-year-old man in connection with Gorman’s death, according to an arrest report obtained by the Chicago Tribune.
- Fox News cited sources saying the suspect is a migrant from Venezuela.
- Records indicate the suspect was identified within minutes of the shooting because of a distinct limp.
📊 Relevant Data
The mass migration from Venezuela to the US has been driven primarily by economic collapse, political instability, and violence under the Maduro regime, with the Venezuelan immigrant population in the US growing from about 256,000 in 2010 to over 1 million by 2024.
Venezuelan Immigrants in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
The US government extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans in 2023, allowing approximately 472,000 eligible individuals to remain and work in the US, as part of policies facilitating legal stays for those fleeing Venezuela's crises.
7 facts about Venezuelans in the US — Pew Research Center
In Chicago, Black residents, who make up about 29% of the population, accounted for over 80% of homicide victims in 2025, making them approximately 20 times more likely to be homicide victims than White residents.
Black Chicagoans 20X likelier to be homicide victims; arrest rate hits record low — Illinois Policy Institute
Nationally in the US, approximately 91% of Black homicide victims are killed by Black offenders, and 84% of White victims by White offenders, indicating that most homicides are intra-racial.
Homicide Trends in the United States, 1980-2023 — Bureau of Justice Statistics
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Chicago police have arrested a 25-year-old man in connection with Sheridan Gorman’s death, according to an arrest report obtained by the Chicago Tribune.
- Sources cited by Fox News say the suspect is a migrant from Venezuela.
- Records indicate the suspect was identified within minutes of the shooting because of a 'distinct limp.'
- Loyola University Chicago President Mark C. Reed sent a letter to students confirming Gorman’s death and calling it a tragic loss.
- Family issued a statement to NBC Chicago explicitly calling Sheridan Gorman’s killing 'murder' and describing her as someone who 'made people feel seen, safe, and loved.'
- Fox cites Chicago police as believing Gorman was not the intended target of the shooting.
- Article reiterates that the shooter was masked and that a suspect description has not yet been released, with no arrests made.
- Loyola’s campus alert specified the shooting occurred on the Tobey Prinz Beach pier around 1:15 a.m. and noted police are probing possible ties to other recent violent incidents nearby.