A Grieving Mother’s Plea: ‘Fight Back’ After Another Young American Life Is Cut Short
The mother of a slain Washington, D.C., congressional intern is speaking out with a powerful message to another grieving family: do not stay silent — fight back.
Tamara Tarpinian-Jachym, whose 21-year-old son Eric was tragically killed in a gang-related shooting in Washington, D.C., last year, reached out to the family of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman after the Loyola University Chicago student was gunned down on March 19 near a pier in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Her words were heartfelt, forged in the unbearable pain that only a parent who has lost a child can understand.
“My sincerest condolences to the family. I and my family understand what you are going through,” she wrote. “The pain is the worst pain any family can go through.”
But in an exclusive interview, Tarpinian-Jachym made clear that sympathy alone is not enough. She said she was “disgusted” when she learned the details surrounding Gorman’s death — and especially the background of the suspect.
An Illegal Immigrant Released Into America
The man charged in Gorman’s murder, 25-year-old Jose Medina-Medina, is an illegal immigrant from Venezuela. According to the Department of Homeland Security, he entered the United States unlawfully on May 9, 2023. After being apprehended by Border Patrol, he was released into the country under policies in place during the Biden administration.
Just weeks later, Medina-Medina was arrested in Chicago for shoplifting — and released again.
Now, prosecutors say he is responsible for the brutal killing of a young American college student. He faces charges including first-degree murder, attempted murder, multiple felony counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, and unlawful possession of a weapon. He is expected back in court Friday morning.
At the time of his earlier arrest, Medina-Medina reportedly told authorities he was living at a city-sponsored migrant shelter housed in a Rogers Park fieldhouse.
Two Families, One Shared Nightmare
Tarpinian-Jachym knows all too well what the Gorman family is enduring. Her son Eric was caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting in Washington, D.C., after multiple individuals exited a vehicle and opened fire on a crowd. Police said Eric was not the intended target — just an innocent young man whose life was stolen in an instant.
That shared heartbreak led her to call on the Gorman family — and all families shattered by violent crime — to unite and demand change.
“They need to fight. And I think parents of victims — we need to band together, all together,” she said. “My heart goes out to the Gormans. I understand what they’re going through.”
She also did not mince words when it came to political accountability.
“The people in charge in Chicago should be held responsible for this. The governor, the mayor — it’s disgusting what they’ve been saying for the last year. It’s heart-wrenching that all these people are getting murdered.”
Remembering Sheridan Gorman
Amid the outrage and sorrow, Sheridan Gorman’s family is remembering the vibrant young woman whose future was filled with promise. A graduate of Yorktown High School in Yorktown Heights, New York, she was deeply involved in athletics, participating in field hockey, lacrosse, bowling, and numerous other activities.
Her obituary described a young woman who brought warmth and light wherever she went — someone who made others feel valued and seen.
She was remembered as vibrant, compassionate, funny, and deeply loving — a young American who cherished her family, her friends, her community, and her faith.
Her life mattered. Her dreams mattered.
A Call for Accountability
For many Americans, this tragedy is yet another painful reminder of the real-world consequences of weak border enforcement and failed sanctuary policies. An illegal immigrant, apprehended and released. Arrested and released again. And now a young woman is dead.
Across the country, families like the Gormans and the Tarpinian-Jachyms are left to pick up the pieces while politicians trade talking points.
The message from one grieving mother is clear: stand together, demand accountability, and refuse to let these tragedies fade into silence. For Sheridan. For Eric. And for every innocent American life that should still be here today.
