An 18‑year‑old Loyola University Chicago freshman, Sheridan Gorman, was shot and killed near the lakefront in the Rogers Park neighborhood in the early hours of Thursday, March 19, 2026, in what police describe as a random or possibly mistaken‑target shooting.
What happened at the scene
Sheridan Gorman had just begun her first year at Loyola and was originally from Yorktown, New York. Around 1:30 a.m., she was walking with a group of friends near Tobey Prinz Beach on Pratt Boulevard, only about two blocks from Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus, when a masked man approached and opened fire, striking her once in the head.
Authorities say she was the only person hit and that she died at the scene; investigators believe she may not have been the intended target, though the motive and circumstances remain unclear. The shooter, described as wearing dark clothing and a face mask or ski mask, fled on foot after the single shot, and police have not yet announced any arrests.
Impact on Loyola and the community
The university confirmed Gorman’s death in a statement from President Mark C. Reed, calling it a “tragic loss” and saying the campus is cooperating with law enforcement while offering counseling and support to students. Community members and fellow students have described the shooting as sudden and shocking, with some nearby residents saying they heard a single gunshot followed by screams and panicked calls for help.
Friends and family remember Gorman as a kind, bright, and outgoing young woman whose life was cut short just months into college. Police continue to ask the public for any information about the masked suspect as the investigation remains open.
