Suspect in killing of 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago student hospitalized, state’s attorney says

The suspect charged with first-degree murder in the killing of 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago student Sheridan Gorman is in the hospital and will not make his scheduled detention hearing Monday, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney.

Jose Medina-Medina, 25, was charged by Chicago police Friday and was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault/discharge of a firearm and one felony count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon/no Firearm Owners Identification Card.

Before Chicago police announced charges had been filed, Immigration and Customs Enforcement asked local authorities not to release Medina-Medina and issued an arrest detainer, the Department of Homeland Security said Sunday. A statement from DHS said Medina-Medina was a Venezuelan migrant who they said entered the United States illegally.

According to officials, Medina-Medina was expected to appear Monday at the Cook County Criminal Courthouse in Chicago for a detention hearing. An update from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said he was in the hospital and would no longer appear in court.

No further details were provided.

Gorman, a freshman, was shot and killed about 1 a.m. Thursday near Tobey Prinz Beach in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood. Gorman was out with a group of friends hoping to see the northern lights when the the shooting occured.

According to officials, an unknown man wearing a mask approached the group, pulled out a gun and fired shot in their direction. Gorman was shot in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a statement, Gorman’s family rejected any suggestion that Sheridan’s actions contributed to what occurred.

“We acknowledge the arrest of the individual accused of taking our daughter’s life and thank the Chicago Police Department, Area Three Detectives, and all those involved in the investigation who worked quickly to identify and apprehend him. Their efforts matter. But this is not justice—it is the first step toward it,” the statement read in part. “What Sheridan was doing that night—walking with friends near her campus—was normal. It was safe. It is what students do every day. We will not allow this to be dismissed as ‘wrong place, wrong time.’ This was not random misfortune. This was a violent and preventable act.”

The family also addressed information released by federal authorities regarding the accused’s prior encounters with the system.

“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 statement continued.