Loyola University has confirmed that a freshman student, 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman, was tragically killed on the pier at Loyola Beach. Gorman, who hailed from Yorktown Heights, New York, was with friends when a masked assailant approached the group and fatally shot her in the head. She was declared dead at the site.
“This is a tragic loss, and our hearts go out to Sheridan’s family, loved ones, and all who knew her,” expressed Mark C. Reed, Loyola’s President, in a social media post. He added that the university is offering counseling services and will hold a prayer vigil on Thursday evening.
Initial reports indicate that the masked gunman appeared from behind the light beacon at the pier, fired a single shot, and then escaped down the beach at approximately 1:11 a.m. on Thursday.
Just over a year earlier, Gorman had announced her decision to attend Loyola on the Loyola Chicago 2030 Instagram page, expressing her plans to pursue a business degree and her interests, which included traveling, music, and meeting new people. She also hoped to make new friends and find a roommate, as depicted in a photo of her with the Chicago skyline.
Here is the full statement posted by Reed to Loyola’s Facebook page on Thursday morning:
Dear Loyola Community,
It is with profound sadness that I write to share that one of our students, Sheridan Gorman, was killed earlier today in an incident north of the Lake Shore Campus. This is a tragic loss, and our hearts go out to Sheridan’s family, loved ones, and all who knew her.
We are in close contact with law enforcement as they investigate and work to understand the full circumstances of this tragedy. Based on the information available to us now, there is no ongoing threat to our campus community. We will continue to provide updates as confirmed information becomes available.
We recognize that this news will be painful for members of our community. Please know that you do not have to navigate this alone. Counseling and support services are available immediately:
Mertz Hall residents: Campus Ministry and Wellness Center counselors and ministers will be present on the second floor of Mertz Hall.
All other students: Counselors at the Wellness Center and staff at Campus Ministry are available at their regular locations during business hours.
Community reflection and prayer: Vigil at Madonna della Strada Chapel — 7:00 p.m this evening
Campus Safety continues to work alongside the Chicago Police Department as the investigation proceeds. If you have any information that may be relevant to this incident, please contact Campus Safety, or the Chicago Police Department.
Please join me in prayer to St. Joseph, whose feast we celebrate today, to intercede for our grieving community and for the family of our beloved student Sheridan—and may his example of faithful, protective love inspire us to care tenderly for one another.
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