Yorktown is mourning the loss of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman, a Yorktown High School graduate and cherished member of the community who was shot and killed near her college campus in Chicago last week.
To those who knew her, Sheridan's light created a lasting impact, and her death has left family, friends and neighbors heartbroken and searching for answers.
As tributes pour in for the Loyola University Chicago freshman, a portrait has emerged of a young woman who loved deeply and was equally loved in return, with her entire life still ahead of her.
Gorman was remembered by her family as the center of their world, a beloved daughter and sister whose presence brought joy and light to those around her, according to an obituary posted online.
Sheridan Gorman was the beloved daughter of Jessica (Simonds) and Thomas Gorman and the cherished sister of Madelon Gorman.
She is survived by many family members, including her grandparents, Thomas and Columbia Gorman of Brant Lake, New York; Paula Cannata of Stoughton, Massachusetts; and Saul and Nava Ben-Meyer of Fredericksburg, Virginia. She was also survived by her devoted uncle and aunt, Marc and Nacole (Simonds) Zeevalk; her beloved cousin, Lilla Zeevalk; her “guncles,” Keith and Max Sorett-Gorman; her close friends, Kaitlyn Sheehy and Annie Durante; and many other relatives and friends.
A 2025 graduate of Yorktown High School, Gorman was a member of the girls varsity bowling team, served as manager for the field hockey and lacrosse teams and participated in the school’s Big Buddy peer mentoring program.
She also coached with the Yorktown Athletic Club, helping younger athletes build their confidence on and off the field.
In her obituary, her family remembered Sheridan as "a proud Yorktown girl through and through, and she carried that pride everywhere she went."
“She loved her hometown of Yorktown with a fierce loyalty—cheering loudly for her school, her teams, and her community.”
Her connection with her classmates and teachers was just as profound.
She was remembered by Steve Veteri, a recently retired physical education teacher and coach, for her “bright, big smile.”
Veteri said that over his 34-year teaching career, Gorman was one of those students who stood out.
“She just made an impact,” he told Yorktown News. “I couldn't ask for much more.”
Gorman was described as possessing warmth and spirit that uplifted every room she entered. Veteri said that whether another student bowled a 30 or delivered an incredible game, she was always the first to cheer them on and celebrate their success. She left a lasting mark on countless peers, as well as teachers and alumni, and will be remembered for the way she supported and inspired those around her.
“You can't even put into words what type of kid she was,” Veteri said. “I always felt like she was living life to the fullest.”
Sports photographer Sarah Quartro called Gorman an “incredibly kind soul” in an Instagram story that included photos in remembrance of her. The snapshots show a smiling Gorman on the Yorktown turf, a smile that so many remember as defining the warmth of her personality.
In Yorktown, grief has spread as residents grapple with the senseless killing of a young woman.
“She was a ray of sunshine, and this darkness cannot diminish her light,” the town’s Facebook said.
The Chicago Police Department arrested a man in connection with Gorman’s death Friday, March 20. As of press time, police had not released information on a possible motive. The shooting occurred shortly after 1 a.m. March 19 in the Rogers Park neighborhood, less than a mile from Loyola University Chicago, where Gorman was nearing the end of her first year.
Witnesses told police a man dressed in black and wearing a black mask pointed a gun at Gorman and fired as she tried to run away. She was shot and pronounced dead at the scene. Reports indicated she was not believed to have been the intended target.
Jose Medina, 25, was charged with multiple felonies, including first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, Chicago police said on March 22. Medina was expected to appear Monday, March 23, at the Cook County Criminal Courthouse in Chicago, but according to NBC News, he was hospitalized and undergoing treatment for tuberculosis. A detention hearing will be held once Medina is present.
According to NBC's Chicago affiliate, prosecutors said in court that security video tracked Medina to his home, where officers found a handgun matching the one used to kill Gorman. He was identified by a building engineer and his mother.
As Sheridan’s family and friends grieve her death, the shooting has drawn national attention. The Trump administration said on March 22 that Medina is from Venezuela and is in the United States illegally. The family, along with local and federal officials, is calling for answers about the circumstances that allowed the attack to happen.
“She was failed by open border policies and sanctuary politicians," Lauren Bis, acting assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement, which also called for Medina to remain in jail.
In a statement shared with NBC Chicago on March 19, the Gorman family described an unimaginable pain.
“There is no way to soften this—this was murder," the family said. “Sheridan was the light of our lives. She made people feel seen, safe, and loved simply by being who she was.
"We trusted that she would be safe. That trust was broken. Someone made a deliberate choice that stole our daughter and forever changed our family.”
Medina has a criminal record. He was apprehended once in May 2023 by U.S. Border Patrol, DHS said, but then released. He was arrested and released again in June 2023 after a shoplifting incident in Chicago.
According to the Chicago Tribune, nearby surveillance video showed the suspect walking west a few minutes after the shooting. Police identified Medina, whom the newspaper did not initially name, in part due to his “distinct limp.” He then entered a nearby apartment building and was later seen on internal surveillance cameras without a mask, the Tribune reported.
“We thank law enforcement officials for their good work in apprehending a suspect. The immediate focus needs to be justice for Sheridan and the Gorman Family but we cannot lose sight of the fact that this is the second time a member of our community has been victimized by this type of violence," Assemblyman Matt Slater, whose district includes Yorktown, said in a statement on March 22. "Our immigration system is clearly broken and endangering innocent American citizens. No one should be a victim of a system that fails on multiple levels.”
In Sheridan's obituary, the Gormans also acknowledged Chicago police for “all of their efforts to date in finding justice for Sheridan.”
Dan Scavino, President Donald Trump’s deputy chief of staff and a Yorktown native, said in a social media post that Gorman’s death was “heartbreaking and devastating” and called it “beyond infuriating and upsetting.”
He said his “heart goes out to my former teammate, Tom, along with his entire family and the entire Yorktown community.”
Supporters of the family have set up a GoFundMe in hope of establishing a scholarship in Sheridan’s name.
“Anyone who knows this family—and anyone who knew Sheridan—will say one thing: she was pure light,” organizers wrote. “She loved Jesus, her family, her sister Maddie most of all, her lifelong friends, and the simple, beautiful moments that made up her life. She had a way of making everyone feel special, seen, and loved. To know her was to be changed by her.”
Contributions raised through the GoFundMe, searchable as “Sheridan Gorman Memorial & Scholarship Fund,” will go toward creating a memorial or scholarship in her name, honoring Sheridan Gorman’s life and preserving her legacy.
“Her loss is unimaginable,” the GoFundMe said. “Her family is shattered.”
“We ask that you keep this incredible family in your prayers,” the message continued. “Help us carry Shera’s light forward.”
The Gormans also expressed deep gratitude to both the Loyola University Chicago and Yorktown communities.
“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from the various communities connected to our family. It has carried us through moments we could not endure alone,” they said. "We take comfort in our faith, but nothing can lessen the devastation of this loss.”
A private service for close friends and family will be held at The First Presbyterian Church of Yorktown on Saturday, March 28, at 2 p.m. Later that evening, a community vigil for those who knew Gorman and anyone who wishes to celebrate her life will be held at Jack DeVito Veterans Memorial Field and Track at 6 p.m.
“Though her life was far too short, Sheridan’s impact is immeasurable,” her obituary said. “She will forever be remembered as a bright, beautiful soul whose love continues to shine in all who knew her.”
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