Lisa

After Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called the killing of Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman “senseless violence,” her family releasing a statement, “We acknowledge Mayor Johnson’s statement five days after our daughter, Sheridan's murder and his condolences to our family, as well as his recognition of the work of the Chicago Police Department. But what happened to Sheridan cannot be reduced to a “senseless tragedy,” nor can it be explained in general terms about public safety. Sheridan was our daughter. She was 18 years old. She was doing something entirely normal—walking near her campus with friends. She should be here. This was not random. It was not inevitable. And it cannot be treated as though it were. We appreciate the efforts of law enforcement in making an arrest. But safety is not defined by how quickly a case is solved after the fact. It is defined by whether a young woman like Sheridan is protected in the first place. “Our daughter was not in the wrong place at the wrong time. The system failed her.” “Calling this ‘senseless’ is not enough. There must be a clear and honest accounting of what went wrong.” “We are not interested in rhetoric. We are asking for accountability.” We will not allow Sheridan’s life to be reduced to a talking point or a generalization. We expect leadership that is willing to confront hard truths and ensure that what happened to her does not happen again. We stand ready to engage with the Mayor and any public official willing to approach this with seriousness, transparency, and a commitment to real change.”