CHICAGO (WLS) — The recent murder of a Loyola college student has created a new friction point between federal officials and states, like Illinois, with sanctuary policies after the Department of Homeland Security revealed the alleged gunmen was in the country illegally with a previous warrant for his arrest. College freshman Sheridan Gorman, 18, was killed last Thursday when she and a group of friends walked to the pier at Tobey Prinz Beach, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights, the family’s attorney said. ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch But the night took a tragic turn when prosecutor say 25-year-old Jose Medina of Venezuela fired a gunshot at Gorman, killing her. Chicago police arrested Medina the day after on charges, including a first-degree murder charge, after utilizing facial recognition software to compare images from surveillance footage to U. S. Customs and Border Protection records. In an arrest report, CPD investigators said the images matched Medina. Court records show an arrest warrant was issued for Medina in 2023 after he stopped appearing in court on shoplifting charges. Federal officials say Medina is an undocumented Venezuelan national, and that he should have never been released after that 2023 arrest. Over the weekend, DHS officials announced Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has “lodged an arrest detainer” asking state officials to not release Medina. SEE ALSO | Prosecutors reveal new details about Loyola student’s killing, suspect’s criminal history President Donald Trump remarked on the killing, calling it “devastating. These people were let in by [ President ] Biden,” President Trump said. “We’re getting them out; we’re getting them out fast. That’s why ICE is so important. They’re doing such a good job.” ABC7 Chief Legal Analyst Gil Soffer says the debate over the Illinois TRUST Act, which prohibits state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials, creates yet another flash point between federal immigration goals and the state’s welcoming policy towards migrants. “It wouldn’t make sense for the feds to insist on a handover from the state for deportation purposes,” Soffer said. “Now, if he committed murder, there’s a very strong interest on the part of the state, and you would think on the part of the feds, to see that he’s prosecuted here.” State law prohibits county jails from honoring immigration detainers, or requests by immigration officials to be notified if an undocumented person is being released from state custody. Soffer telling the I-Team despite the Department of Homeland Security’s outcry, and calls from Gorman’s parents to keep Medina in custody, that’s very likely where he will stay given the state murder charge changes everything. “He will almost certainly be detained on those state charges, regardless of what ICE intends to do or not intends to do,” Soffer said. “They can’t honor the detainer if that’s all that there is to keep this guy in custody. But that’s not all that there is to keep him in custody, there’s a murder charge to keep him in custody.” Soffer underscoring it is likely Medina will face deportation proceedings, but at the end of a very long legal process as the murder and other serious charges against him play out in court. Prosecutors revealed on Monday Medina is currently detained at Illinois Masonic Medical Center undergoing treatment for tuberculosis. A Monday detention hearing was continued to Friday, March 27.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/case-sheridan-gorman-suspect-jose-medinas-alleged-immigration-status-creates-new-friction-point-sanctuary-state-policies/18758092/
Tag Archives: surveillance
Easton police looking for dirt bikers who caused ‘thousands’ in damage at country club
Easton Police Seek Public’s Help in Identifying Dirt Bikers Who Trespassed and Caused Damage
Easton police are asking for the community’s assistance in locating two dirt bikers who were found trespassing over the weekend at the Easton Country Club.
The incident occurred on Sunday at the Easton Country Club located on Purchase Street. According to a police statement on Facebook, the riders caused “thousands of dollars” in damage to the property.
After the trespassing, the two riders were last seen entering the nearby railroad tracks in the area of Prospect Street.
Police have shared surveillance images of the two dirt bikers to aid in identifying them. Anyone with information about the riders or the dirt bikes pictured is urged to contact Officer Tyler Sutton at 508-230-3322.
Your help is appreciated in bringing those responsible to account and preventing further incidents.
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2026/03/18/easton-police-looking-for-dirt-bikers-who-caused-thousands-in-damage-at-country-club/
Somebody stole her entire livelihood. L.A. puppeteer is devastated — but not beaten
Jackie Smook has spent years crafting characters and props for *Dilly’s World*, her whimsical web series and touring theatrical show about a girl confronting big issues with the help of some puppet friends.
Her life’s work was stolen early Monday when thieves swiped a shipping box containing many of her puppets from outside her Beachwood Canyon apartment. Among the missing are Angus the bassist, Phyllis the mail-delivering puppet, Holstein, who was holding an intricate saxophone prop, and Dumont, who had a television stand. A large puppeteered car, drum set, piano, wigs, costumes, and all manner of merchandise were also stolen.
Smook estimates the total cost to be roughly $40,000. “We are starting from zero, basically,” she said. “It’s just a really tragic loss. My hands bled to make these things.”
The U-Haul box stuffed with props was delivered Saturday afternoon from Chicago, where Smook recently toured. She went to unpack it around 6 a.m. Monday and realized it was gone. So was the trailer carrying the box, suggesting that someone broke a lock, attached the entire thing to their vehicle, and drove off, Smook said.
Surveillance stills from a neighbor’s camera suggest the box was taken just minutes before Smook came outside between 5:35 and 5:49 a.m., but the footage did not capture any potential suspects, she said.
Police responded and took a report of a stolen vehicle, a Los Angeles Police Department public information officer confirmed.
The blow was particularly devastating because the show has no big investors or grant financing, Smook explained. She has mostly kept it afloat with money saved while working in real estate in Chicago.
Smook is now racing to rebuild all of the props and puppets by February 22, when her next show is slated to take place at the Dynasty Typewriter theater. But she’s not doing it alone: dozens of artists have reached out to help, including those in Los Angeles, Chicago, and even as far as Toronto and Trinidad, Smook said.
She has also launched an online fundraiser to bolster the effort. There’s no way to replace all that was lost in less than two weeks, but Smook has been heartened by the support.
“The show will totally go on,” she said. “And it’s going to be one of the best shows ever because of how much the community has come together.”
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-02-10/somebody-stole-her-entire-livelihood-la-puppeteer-is-devastated-but-not-beaten
Former FBI special agent on what stands out in footage of masked person outside Nancy Guthrie’s home
The FBI on Tuesday released new surveillance footage showing a masked person on the front porch of Nancy Guthrie’s home.
To provide further insight, former FBI Special Agent Jeff Harp joined to analyze the video. His expertise offers valuable context to the unsettling images captured on the footage.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/former-fbi-special-agent-what-stands-out-footage-masked-person-outside-nancy-guthrie-home/
$10K reward offered in deadly shooting at Little Village jewelry store caught on camera
Two Men Fatally Shot During Jewelry Store Robbery in Little Village
CHICAGO (WLS) — Cook County Crime Stoppers are offering a $10,000 cash reward following the fatal shooting of two men during a jewelry store robbery in Little Village.
The incident occurred around 5:49 p.m. on Saturday at a jewelry store located on the 3800-block of 26th Street, according to Chicago police.
An armed offender entered the business and stole property. After exiting the store, the suspect became involved in an altercation with two male victims, ages 63 and 25. The suspect then shot both men multiple times before fleeing southbound on Springfield Avenue in a white SUV, police said.
The victims were transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital in critical condition but were later pronounced dead. Their identities have not yet been released.
In response, Cook County Crime Stoppers announced on Sunday a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest in this double homicide case.
Exclusive Surveillance Footage Released
A nearby business shared surveillance video exclusively with ABC7 Chicago. The footage shows a man wearing a Blackhawks hoodie and mask approaching the jewelry store around 5:45 p.m., shortly before the robbery and shooting.
Within approximately 30 seconds, the suspect can be seen running out of the store carrying merchandise, with two men chasing after him. The altercation continued in the middle of the street near oncoming traffic, close to the corner of Springfield Avenue.
The offender then pulled out a gun and shot both victims. Police confirmed that no other individuals were injured during the shooting.
Currently, no arrests have been made as Chicago police continue their investigation into the case.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch.
Farewell Amazon Fresh: the no tills thing was all a bit too awkward | Jason Okundaye
Amazon Fresh, the till-free grocery shop that uses just walk-out technology, is closing all 19 of its stores in London, just under five years after opening its first outlet. If that sounds weird and disorienting, then I can assure you, having visited an outlet out of pure curiosity and having left distressed, it truly is.
Among the reasons given for the venture’s failure—ranging from location choices to struggling to differentiate itself in the market—one financial analyst suggested that till-less technology always felt a little awkward. When I visited, I wasn’t totally clear on how to get in or, frankly, how to get out.
A sense of panic overwhelmed me as I wondered if the sensors would process me changing my mind about an item and putting it back on the shelf, or charge me for it. Would I be prosecuted if, say, a large box of cereal blocked the sight of a tin of sardines and thus escaped the sensors? Of course, every store has CCTV equipment, but the idea that sensors and cameras could be connected to my phone and track every item I touched felt like big tech overreach—surveillance on steroids.
The fact that you could just walk out of a shop without pressing pay seemed strangely incongruous with the direction of other grocery stores. Around two years ago, the big Sainsbury’s down the road installed scan-receipt-to-exit barriers, a technology I first saw in Paris and has since been rolled out to many other big supermarkets. It is truly a nightmare.
Not only does it feel like you’re going through an airport when you’re just picking up a meal deal, but the scanner is repeatedly faulty, often resulting in a pile-up of people trying to exit. Then, there is the failure of self-scan checkouts. These tills were meant to save time, but that possibility immediately collapses once there’s an unidentified item in the bagging area or the overwhelmed shop assistant has to approve someone’s age.
You might then think the idea of a till-free checkout would be a relief. But if anything, when you’re made to feel so distrusted and burdened by inconvenience, it feels far more like a setup. No till? Surely someone is waiting on the other side ready to bundle me into a police van over an unscanned pot of pesto pasta.
Mostly though, the failure of Amazon Fresh reveals that we are simply not ready for technology like this. It is the kind of futuristic development that you might have imagined would totally change the face of high street shopping, but shoppers have roundly rejected it. Like our reluctance to take up self-driving cars, it’s about a lack of trust in being totally at the whim of technology.
Some stores have been able to win over the public. The Japanese casual wear brand Uniqlo’s self-checkout technology is pretty frictionless and genuinely loved. But even then, as a frequent Uniqlo shopper, while the convenience is nice, it makes me feel strangely isolated.
We need, and maybe even like, other people. Whether it’s grocery or clothes shopping, having a little chat or a flirt with a store assistant makes the experience. Recently, after a frustrating and failed attempt to find a suit for a wedding, I soothed myself by spending far too much money on a lovely knitted jumper at Drakes on Savile Row. The shop assistant told me I looked good in it and, seeing how flustered I was, offered me an espresso. For that alone, I’ll be back to blow more of my money.
Of course, I don’t expect that treatment on the high street or in a grocery store, but I do find myself missing the small comments of “I love these crisps, my favourite” at a supermarket till. And queueing, though I’ll rue saying this during the post-work rush, is not all bad. One of my favourite things to do in a supermarket queue is peer into other shoppers’ baskets to make a guess about what kind of evening they’re having or what kind of life they live.
If you can simply walk out, you might save some time, but you’ll learn less about the people around you—while a computer gets to know it all.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/27/amazon-fresh-store-closing-technology-shopping