Inset: Sheridan Gorman (Instagram/Sheridan Gorman). Background: The area in Chicago where Gorman was shot and killed (WBBM).
An 18-year-old college freshman was shot and killed when a shooter apparently opened fire on a group of friends near a Chicago lakefront beach in the early morning hours.
Sheridan Gorman, a first-year student at Loyola University Chicago, was struck in the head and pronounced dead at the scene following the Thursday shooting in the Rogers Park neighborhood.
Police have not announced any arrests, and the suspect, who was masked at the time of the shooting, remains at large.
The shooting occurred shortly after 1:30 a.m. on March 19 near Tobey Prinz Beach, a popular area along the lakefront near Loyola's campus, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Gorman had been walking with a group of friends when a man approached and began firing in their direction, striking her once in the head.
Authorities said Gorman was the only person struck. Detectives have indicated she may not have been the intended target, though the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation, Chicago ABC affiliate WLS reported.
Witnesses told investigators the suspect was wearing dark clothing and a ski mask that covered their face. After firing, they fled the area on foot.
Friends who were with Gorman reportedly ran when the gunfire erupted, then returned moments later to find her unresponsive on the ground.
The killing has shaken the community at Loyola University Chicago, where Gorman had recently begun her freshman year. University officials said they are cooperating with law enforcement and providing support resources to students affected by the shooting.
In a statement, university leadership described the incident as a devastating loss and extended condolences to Gorman's family and friends.
"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," University President Mark C. Reed wrote in a statement. "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."
Gorman, who was originally from New York, was remembered by loved ones as a kind and vibrant young woman whose life was cut short just months into her college experience, WLS reported.
Residents in the area reported hearing what sounded like a single gunshot, followed by screams, highlighting the sudden nature of the violence. One student told local CBS affiliate WBBM that the gunshot woke him up.
"I just heard the screaming. They were saying, 'Come help us. We're over here,'" the student, who wished to remain anonymous, reportedly said. "Since then, I couldn't go back to sleep. It was something I never thought would happen in the community here."
Police have not said what may have motivated the shooting and continue to search for the shooter. Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward as the investigation remains ongoing.