Loyola University Chicago student Sheridan Gorman, 18, was shot and killed on March 19 around 1 a.m. The Department of Homeland Security reported she was walking in a park with friends at the time of the incident.
The university’s student-run newspaper, the Loyola Phoenix, has issued an apology for using the term “illegal immigrant” to describe Jose Medina-Medina, who is charged in connection with Gorman’s death. In a post published on Monday, the outlet acknowledged that its original headline—”Immigrant Man Charged in Murder of Sheridan Gorman, DHS Involved”—was inappropriate and caused harm to community members.
The newspaper also stated it used language provided by the Department of Homeland Security when describing Medina-Medina as an “illegal immigrant,” which did not align with Associated Press style guidelines. In a note added to the post, the Loyola Phoenix wrote: “No human’s existence is illegal, and we quickly changed our wording to reflect that.”
The outlet expressed deep regret for these errors, stating it remains committed to maintaining high standards as journalists and members of the Loyola University Chicago community.
