Sabrina ColeMar 19, 2026 3 min read

18-Year-Old Loyola University Student Killed in Early Morning Shooting

Sheridan Gorman, 18, was a student at Loyola University Chicago. She was pronounced dead at the scene after being shot while walking near campus with friends in the early hours of Thursday morning. | Instagram / Sheridan Gorman
Sheridan Gorman, 18, was a student at Loyola University Chicago. She was pronounced dead at the scene after being shot while walking near campus with friends in the early hours of Thursday morning. | Instagram / Sheridan Gorman

A Loyola University Chicago student was fatally shot in the early hours of Thursday morning near the school's Lake Shore Campus in Rogers Park. The victim, identified by the university as 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman, was struck in the head and pronounced dead at the scene. No arrests have been made.

What Happened

The shooting occurred at approximately 1:15 to 1:30 a.m. on the pier at Tobey Prinz Beach, also known as Pratt Avenue Beach, in the 1000 block of West Pratt Boulevard.

A masked male suspect approached Gorman and her group and opened fire without warning. | Instagram / Sheridan Gorman
A masked male suspect approached Gorman and her group and opened fire without warning. | Instagram / Sheridan Gorman

Gorman was walking with a group of friends when a masked male suspect approached and opened fire in their direction. She was the only person struck. No other injuries were reported.

A campus safety alert sent to students described the offender as wearing a face covering. Chicago police are also investigating potential links to other recent violent incidents in the district.

University Response

Loyola University Chicago President Mark C. Reed addressed the campus in a letter Thursday morning, confirming Gorman's identity and expressing condolences to her family.

Loyola University Chicago has made counseling services available to students and held a vigil Thursday evening following the death of student Sheridan Gorman. | Adobe Stock

Cueno Hall at the campus of Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago has made counseling services available to students and held a vigil Thursday evening following the death of student Sheridan Gorman. | Adobe Stock

"It is with profound sadness that I write to share that one of our students, Sheridan Gorman, was killed earlier today," Reed wrote. "This is a tragic loss, and our hearts go out to Sheridan's family, loved ones, and all who knew her."

The university stated that, based on available information, there is no ongoing threat to campus. Counseling services have been made available to students, and a vigil was scheduled for Thursday evening at Madonna della Strada Chapel.

"We recognize that this news will be painful for members of our community," Reed added. "Please know that you do not have to navigate this alone."

Investigation Ongoing

Chicago police have not released a description of the suspect beyond the face covering noted in the campus alert, and no arrests have been made as of Thursday. The motive for the shooting remains unclear.

Instagram / Sheridan Gorman
Instagram / Sheridan Gorman

Detectives are continuing to investigate. The Chicago Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

About Sheridan Gorman

Gorman was 18 years old and a student at Loyola University Chicago, a Jesuit university located along the Lake Michigan shoreline in the Rogers Park neighborhood on the city's North Side. The university has not released additional details about her year of study or area of study.


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