New York teen gunned down close to Chicago faculty — days after posting fun-filled pics of freshman yr

Heartbreaking images captured a bright-eyed New York teen smiling and posing alongside new buddies as she embraced freshman life at Loyola University – simply days earlier than a masked gunman reduce all of it brief in a stunning burst of violence close to campus. 

What started as a bunch of buddies having fun with a late-night stroll alongside the pier at Tobey Prinz Beach become a nightmare when a gunman immediately opened fireplace – fatally striking 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman within the head round 1:30 a.m. Thursday, in keeping with Chicago police and the college. 

The shooter, together with his face hid, fled into the darkness – and remained on the unfastened as of Thursday afternoon, with authorities releasing no description. 

Nobody else was injured throughout the terrifying ordeal, police stated. 

Just three days earlier, Gorman had been all smiles – posing arm-in-arm with baby-faced buddies whereas celebrating St. Patrick’s Day within the Windy City, her Instagram profile reveals. 

The Yorktown Heights native gave the impression to be thriving at Loyola, the place she enrolled final fall – subsequently filling her social media profile with smiley snapshots of dorm life, Halloween festivities and college spirit, in addition to a visit to a Chicago Cubs sport. 

“Bye first semester!” she captioned a Dec. 12 photograph on Instagram, which reveals her beaming in a hand-painted denim jacket decked out in Loyola colours whereas posing with the college’s wolf mascot. 

In a chillingly poignant publish from March 8, the slain brunette stated she appeared ahead to “warmer days ahead.” 

Gorman – whose bio cited the Bible verse “1 Corinthians 16:14,” urging to “Let all that you do be done in love” – was energetic in Loyola’s “Cru” Christian group and had lately traveled to Indianapolis with fellow members. 

Her Instagram account heartbreakingly reveals Gorman had lengthy appeared ahead to her life in Chi-Town – even bedazzling her highschool commencement cap with “Loyola” and proudly posing with mounds of faculty gear final spring. 

A prayer vigil in her honor is about for Thursday night at Loyola’s Madonna della Strada Chapel, in keeping with university President Mark Reed, who known as her killing a “tragic loss.” 

“Our hearts go out to Sheridan’s family, loved ones, and all who knew her,” Reed wrote in a press release, including that faculty officers are working carefully with police and that there isn’t a ongoing menace to campus. 

Yorktown Central School District Superintendent Ronald Hattar acknowledged the alumni’s loss of life “with an absolutely broken heart” in a press release Thursday.

“We are so deeply shattered by this tragic and senseless loss,” he wrote on behalf of the district.

Additional reporting by David Propper.