Jessica McLaughlin, a 24-year-old 7-Eleven employee in Los Angeles, died July 2 after being taken off life support following a brutal attack by her manager at the convenience store on June 24.
The incident occurred around 2:10 p.m. at the 7-Eleven store located in the 5700 block of Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to reports of a battery and found McLaughlin unconscious on the store floor.
According to police, the confrontation began as a verbal dispute between McLaughlin and an unidentified female manager that escalated into a physical altercation. During the attack, the manager allegedly pulled McLaughlin’s hair and sat on top of her, preventing her from breathing. Sean McLaughlin, the victim’s brother, stated that his sister was “violently and senselessly attacked.”
Coworkers who witnessed the assault attempted to intervene but were also attacked, according to family members. When McLaughlin finally broke free from her attacker, she collapsed and was unable to breathe. She managed to tell her coworkers to call 911 before losing consciousness.
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the 911 call and found McLaughlin unconscious despite CPR efforts by her coworkers. She was transported to Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in grave condition.
Family members allege that while coworkers performed CPR and called for help, the manager fled to the back office and attempted to delete security camera footage of the incident. The suspect then left the scene on a bicycle, according to the family’s account.
At the hospital, doctors determined that McLaughlin had suffered severe brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. Her father, Clancey McLaughlin, told local media that his daughter’s brain was deprived of oxygen for more than 10 minutes, leaving her brain-dead.
After obtaining a second medical opinion and exhausting all options, the family made the decision to remove McLaughlin from life support. She died Wednesday at 10:34 a.m., surrounded by her parents, boyfriend, two brothers, sister and stepfather.
The LAPD has launched a homicide investigation into McLaughlin’s death. Detectives have obtained video evidence of the incident but are not releasing it to the public at this time. No arrests have been made, and police have not released a description of the suspect, who remains at large.
In a statement, 7-Eleven confirmed that the employee involved in the attack has been terminated from the company. The company indicated that their hearts are with those impacted during this difficult time and that they continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement in their investigation.
Sean McLaughlin established a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses for his sister, describing her as a daughter, best friend, and devoted aunt. He wrote that Jessica had a way of making people feel safe, accepted, and loved, and that she had been his rock during the five years they lived together.
The fundraising page has raised over $30,000 to help the family give McLaughlin what they describe as a beautiful service that honors who she was and how deeply she was loved. Sean McLaughlin emphasized that his sister was an innocent victim who deserved much better than the way her life was taken.
The family has retained legal counsel and indicated they are seeking accountability and justice in the case. Their attorney has stated that they will pursue all available legal options as the investigation continues.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Operations West Bureau Homicide detectives at (213) 473-9470. After-hours information can be provided at (877) 527-3247, and anonymous tips can be submitted at (800) 222-8477 or through LA Crime Stoppers online.
