Venezuelan national busted after allegedly killing 18-year-old Chicago student

A 25-year-old Venezuelan national, Jose Medina-Medina ,who entered the United States illegally has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago student Sheridan Gorman. Gorman was reportedly walking with friends along the Tobey Prinz Beach pier, near campus, when a masked man opened fire, violently, and senselessly shooting her in the head. 

The young lady was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a statement to ABC7, Gorman’s family said that she had gone to the pier to look at the Northern Lights, emphasizing that “there was nothing reckless about her actions” at the time, suggesting further that this was a completely random attack.

“Sheridan was our daughter, our sister, and the heart of our family. She was full of life, full of kindness, and full of a love that she gave freely to everyone around her,” the family said in a statement.

Medina-Medina was arrested-arrested on Friday night and was scheduled to appear in court on Monday. This was delayed, however, as he has since been hospitalized for tuberculosis, according to prosecutors who spoke to the Chicago Tribune. At this point, no official motive has been identified for the crime.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer against Medina. The department noted that Medina had been released twice in 2023 under the Biden administration's policies, including a release following an arrest for shoplifting in Chicago.

“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,” said Lauren Bis, DHS acting assistant secretary, in the statement.

“We are calling on Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago’s sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this criminal illegal alien from jail back into American neighborhoods,” she added.Responding to news of the arrest, the Gorman family issued a statement through ABC7, ultimately describing the tragedy as a “violent and preventable act.”

“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.”

“This cannot be just another case that fades from public attention. Sheridan’s life mattered. What happened to her matters. And we will make sure she is not forgotten,” they continued.

Miss Gorman was an 18-year-old freshman at Loyola University Chicago, though originally from Yorktown, New York. A business major and active member of the Christian campus organization Cru, she was described by friends and family as a compassionate, joyful, and kind person who was deeply involved in her campus community despite only being in her first year. 

The fatal incident occurred around 1:15 a.m. at the Tobey Prinz Beach pier in Rogers Park while Gorman was walking with a group of friends, having gone to the lakefront specifically to try to view the Northern Lights. According to investigators, the masked man approached the group from behind a lighthouse and opened fire as they attempted to flee. Gorman was struck in the head and pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported among her friends.

A memorial and scholarship fund are being established in Gorman’s honor in her hometown of Yorktown.

This is the sort of story that should shame a nation. A young woman, full of promise and untouched by any recklessness or provocation, steps out on a clear night simply to witness a rare natural wonder, the Northern Lights dancing above Lake Michigan. In that innocent moment she is executed at point-blank range by a man who had no right to be in the country at all, a man released not once but twice by the very authorities charged with protecting American citizens.

The family’s grief is raw and dignified. They insist there was “nothing reckless about her actions,” as if even the faintest suggestion of fault must be extinguished before it can be whispered. They are right to do so. For this was not a tragic encounter between rival gang members or the unhappy result of some personal dispute. It was, by every available account, a random slaughter, the sort that occurs when the state has decided that its own laws on entry and removal are optional, when sanctuary policies matter more than the safety of its own people, and when the consequences of those decisions are borne not by politicians in their guarded offices but by freshmen walking along a pier.

Consider the sequence. The killer, a Venezuelan an illegal alien, had already been arrested for shoplifting in Chicago. Under the policies of the Biden administration he was released. Later he was encountered again and released once more. 

Now an American teenager lies dead, her skull shattered by his bullet, while he sits in hospital with tuberculosis, the court appearance postponed. The Department of Homeland Security has at last lodged a detainer, as though such paperwork could resurrect the dead or undo the years of deliberate negligence that placed the murderer on that pier in the first place.

The family sees it clearly. “We are gravely disappointed by the policies and failures that allowed this individual to remain in a position to commit this crime,” they say. “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.”

There is a terrible eloquence in those words. Permanent. That is what open-border ideology and sanctuary-city dogma have delivered to Sheridan Gorman and her family: a permanent absence, a life cut short at eighteen, a future of studies and friendships and quiet Christian witness erased in a single act of casual savagery.

Politicians will speak of  “comprehensive reform” and “root causes” in the days ahead, as they always do. They will treat this as one more data point in an argument rather than as the human catastrophe it is. But the family will not let it fade. “This cannot be just another case that fades from public attention,” they declare. “Sheridan’s life mattered. What happened to her matters. And we will make sure she is not forgotten.”

They should not have to fight alone for that remembrance. The rest of us, those still fortunate enough to live under laws that are actually enforced, have a duty to ensure that Sheridan Gorman is not remembered merely as another statistic in the long ledger of migrant crime, but as the precise and foreseeable cost of a governing philosophy that values ideological purity over the elementary obligation to keep citizens safe in their own streets and on their own shores. 

A scholarship and a memorial in Yorktown will be established, small consolations for an irreparable loss. Yet the true memorial must be larger: a national reckoning with the reality that when a country stops controlling its borders, it stops controlling its fate, and the first to pay are the young, the innocent, and the hopeful, walking out one autumn night to see the lights in the sky.

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Illinois justice system leaks like a sieve

Here's your daily dose of "sanctuary city" insanity, brought to you by the People's Republic of Illinois. 

While the rest of the country is trying to get dangerous illegal aliens off the streets, Governor Jabba the Hutt (D-IL) and Chicago's own Brandon "Let's Defund Everything But Illegal Aliens" Johnson have apparently decided that child rapists and murderers deserve a second, or third, or fourth chance to roam free. ICE just dropped a letter that ought to make every law-abiding Illinois resident's blood boil. 

Since January 2025, the Land of Lincoln has released a jaw-dropping 1,768 criminal illegal aliens who had active ICE detainers. You know, the little piece of paper that says, "Hey, local jail, hold this guy so we can deport him." But no, Illinois said "catch and release" is their new state fish., and these aren't jaywalkers or litterbugs. We're talking:

Attempted murder
Aggravated sexual assault
Aggravated kidnapping
Predatory criminal sexual assault of a child (yes, you read that right)
Child abduction
Multiple homicides

Todd Lyons, the acting ICE director, was blunt about the problem: "These offenders should be swiftly removed from the United States … and not be returned to our streets to wreak havoc on law-abiding citizens."

Instead, Illinois Democrats are basically rolling out the red carpet: "Welcome back to the neighborhood, here's your get-out-of-jail-free card!" It's suicidal for everyone except those who run this s**t show. 

There are still another 4,015 criminal aliens sitting in state and local custody with pending detainers, including 51 tied to homicides and over 800 sexual-predatory offenses, who could be sprung any day thanks to Governor "Pass the Gravy" Pritzker and Johnson's open contempt for federal law.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem showed up in Illinois on August 8 and torched the dynamic duo to their faces. Good for her. Someone had to say it out loud, but what effect it will have is probably nil. 

Lyons closed his letter with the question every taxpayer in Illinois deserves an answer to: Is the state going to "change course or continue releasing violent offenders who may otherwise walk the streets of Illinois again?"

It's time the Illinois government stop treating ICE detainers like they're suggestions on a Chinese takeout menu and instead put public safety ahead of their woke virtue-signaling. But don't hold your breath hoping Pritzker is suddenly going to grow a spine underneath all that adipose tissue. The bulbous billionaire heir and his light-on-crime mayor would rather let another child get assaulted than admit Trump-era immigration enforcement had a point because it's actually working in places other than Illinois.

Illinois taxpayers, enjoy the "sanctuary" you voted for. The rest of us will be over here praying we don't end up on the wrong side of one of these monsters the state just set loose.

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BREAKING: Gunman fires at federal agents during Chicago immigration enforcement: manhunt underway

photo: just a normal day in the Windy City

Picture this: A routine immigration sweep in Chicago's Little Village, a neighborhood that's basically a slice of Mexico plunked down in Chicago, turns into a scene straight out of a bad action flick. But instead of heroes, you've got federal agents dodging bullets from some cowardly thug in a black Jeep, followed by a howling mob lobbing paint cans and bricks at law enforcement. 

Authorities are searching for a man who allegedly shot at U.S. Border Patrol agents Saturday during immigration operations in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. Border patrol agents were conducting immigration enforcement operations when a man driving a black Jeep fired shots at agents and fled the scene, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).And if that wasn't enough to make you question sanctuary city logic, the aftermath? A group of people threw a paint can and bricks at border patrol vehicles, DHS said. Local affiliate FOX 32 Chicago reported a flash bang was deployed, as crowds surrounded federal agents for multiple blocks. At least one person was detained, according to the outlet.

Crowds threw paint cans, bricks at federal vehicles as chaos ensued. Police are searching for a man they said opened fire at U.S. Border Patrol agents in Chicago on Saturday. (Credit: WFLD)Police officers barricade a street in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. (WFLD)

Enter the virtue-signaling cavalry: City Alderman Michael Rodriguez, of the 22nd Ward, posted a video to Facebook accusing the agents of "causing all sorts of mayhem." "They’re doing things that are unconstitutional, that are illegal," Rodriguez said of the agents doing their jobs and what America voted for. "They are causing fear and mayhem in our communities and that's unacceptable."

Oh, the irony. The guy's out there whining about "fear and mayhem" while his constituents are turning federal vehicles into piñatas, and more bullets fly there than Gaza.

And he wasn't alone in the social media circus. Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez, of the 25th Ward, was also live-streaming the chaos on social media. Sigcho-Lopez appeared to confront immigration agents, stupidly questioning them about why they were in the neighborhood, which is known as a largely Mexican-American community.

The Chicago Police Department (CPD) was called for assistance and cleared the scene. 

The shooter and vehicle remain at large, DHS officials said. "This incident is not isolated and reflects a growing and dangerous trend of violence and obstruction," DHS wrote in a statement on X. "Over the past two months, we’ve seen an increase in assaults and obstruction targeting federal law enforcement during operations."

Chief Border Patrol agent Gregory Bovino fired back at an X user who said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents "illegally fired tear gas into the street," saying there is "more to come." "Funny, you keep leaving out key facts including several shots fired at agents by a suspect, violent mobs throwing bricks and assaultive subjects," Bovino wrote in a post. "We still managed to apprehend illegal aliens today in Little Village. More to come."

"These confrontations highlight the dangers our agents face daily and the escalating aggression toward law enforcement. The violence must end."

Look, if Chicago's elected clowns like Rodriguez and Sigcho-Lopez spent half as much energy condemning the actual criminals, starting with the guy who turned a Jeep into a drive-by getaway car, instead of shielding sanctuary chaos, maybe we'd have fewer headlines like this. But no, it's easier to blame the badges enforcing the law than the mobs breaking it. 

Wake up, Illinois: This isn't "mayhem" from feds; it's the predictable fallout from years of the open-borders delusion. And as Bovino says, more to come, whether the local Dems and big Gov, Pritzker like it or not.

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NY Dem. Gov. Kathy Hochul calls Nat'l Guard to deal with migrant invasion

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) said Monday that she is calling on the National Guard to help the state deal with the illegal migrant invasion despite her party doing nothing to seal the hemorrhaging at the southern border. 

So Hochul announced that an additional 150 National Guard troops will be deployed to address the [Biden-created] crisis and assist with paperwork to to get these illegal migrants work permits so they can take jobs from legal American residents. This is especially the case for Venezuelans who now are considered a temporary protected group. 

Perhaps Biden's handler[s] have a soft spot for people who come from a communist country.

The extra 150 troops now bring the total number of National Guardsmen on this mission to 2,200. They will focus solely on case management for Venezuelans who illegally came here prior to July 31, to apply for Temporary Protected Status and then work authorization.

Hochul said she's dedicated over $50 million of taxpayer money to support case management all over New York State. Just in New York City alone, officials say over 116,000 migrants have arrived from the southern border, but the city claims that it's a sanctuary city, but now that their bluff was called, maybe not so sanctuary anymore.

This latest situation comes as New York City officials say more than 116,000 migrants have arrived from the southern border since last year. That's a lot of free stuff and free housing for people who have put nothing into the system.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has said the migrant crisis will "destroy" the Big Apple if they do not receive more federal support.

Yeah, those chickens really are coming home to roost.

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Some illegal aliens sent to Canada from NY City heading back to the Big Apple

Up to his eyeballs in illegal aliens and a few legitimate asylum-seekers coming from the southern border to his sanctuary city, New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) has finally had enough. So he has been 

offering free bus tickets to the Canadian border to start a new life up to their eyeballs in snow and subfreezing temperature.

Many of them pivoted on the balls of both feet, did an about-face and headed back to the lights of Broadway and a taxpayer funded hotel life.

Ilze Thielmann, the director of the virtue-signaling nonprofit Team TLC — which has been organizing busses to Plattsburgh, NY, where there is an unofficial crossing to Montreal — said the reality isn’t as rosy as people expect, eh. 

She told CBS: “They think that there are all these jobs up there. They think they’re going to be able to get asylum very easily up there and that’s just not the case.”

Except that their Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also a hypocritical virtue signaling progressive and might very well accept the migrants who are willing to freeze their keesters off in the north.

The NY Post first reported about the controversial program last week, with migrants receiving free tickets at the Port Authority bus terminal courtesy of charities funded by taxpayers, but now migrants bussed to Canada are already returning to the US.

So New York is not really a sanctuary city after all, and that doesn't surprise anyone paying attention to who the members of the Left really are.

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NYC bank ATMs no longer home for the homeless: banks locking doors

Banks all around the Big Apple will be locking out ATM users and the homeless at night in order to stop the homeless from sleeping in the vestibules that also serve as toilets. While this will obviously be an inconvenience for people with jobs who care to use an ATM after hours, it will also require the homeless sleep elsewhere, such as subways and shelters.

Branches for Chase, City National Bank and Citizens have been surreptitiously locking their doors even to customers who have a bank card as early as 10 PM or 11 PM and reopening them early morning, according to The New York Post.

Bank branch employees told The Post that ATM lobbies have become refuges for the homeless who sleep in these small spaces overnight and often use the space as toilets, leaving their feces behind and creating a stinky safety hazard for employees and customers who are afraid to enter the lobbies lest they slip or get mugged.

“A lot of stuff happens at night,” said an ATM technician who did not want to be identified because he’s not authorized to speak to the media. 

Bank of America did not respond for comment as they were engaged in cleaning away a mess left the previous night before they finalized their decision.

Citizens acknowledged the disruption to its service, citing “safety issues.” Surprisingly, they never mentioned the ambience issue as well.

“Like a number of other banks, we have temporarily closed some ATM vestibules overnight at certain New York City branch locations where we have seen repeat activity that could present a potentially dangerous situation for our customers or colleagues,” spokeswoman, Eleni Garbis said in a statement.

A spokesman for Chase, Jerry Dubrowski, said the situation is “fluid” and that the bank is “constantly evaluating the environment in a community.” His definition of "fluid" was not made clear but one can only imagine what Jerry meant.

Some Chase branches may close for a period of time and then reopen for full 24-hour access again, he said, adding that the limited hours apply to a minority of Chase branches in the city.

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Some banks have hired security guards to sit inside the vestibules in the early evening hours, Matt Roberts, president of the 17th Precinct Community Council, and adding that some homeless people have bank cards and can let themselves into the lobbies, but they rarely make withdrawals, only deposits.

Now with New York's illegal immigrant sanctuary city policy, the homeless problem may run amok if they run out of 5-Star hotels to house the illegals and they may end up seeking other places to crash and dump.

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