A night out near campus turned into a nightmare after a Loyola University Chicago student was gunned down while walking with friends.
Police say 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman was with a group near Tobey Prinz Beach, just steps from the Lake Shore campus, around 1:15 a.m. Thursday when a masked gunman opened fire.
Authorities say the suspect fired directly toward the group.
Gorman was struck in the head and died at the scene. No one else was hit.
Investigators believe she was not the intended target.
Neighbors say the moment unfolded in chilling fashion.
“I heard one pop,” one resident said, adding they initially thought it was fireworks. “Then about 20 minutes later, there were blood-curdling screams.”
The gunman fled and has not been identified.
In a statement, university president Mark C. Reed called the killing a “tragic loss” and said officials are working closely with law enforcement. The school says there is no ongoing threat, but the campus community has been left shaken.
Counseling services are being offered to students, and a vigil has been planned to honor Gorman’s life.
For now, police are urging anyone with information to come forward as they search for the person responsible.