By Emily Herr

The Scoop Digital Newspaper: July 2025

Los Angeles, CA – A 24-year-old 7-Eleven employee, Jessica McLaughlin, has tragically died after allegedly being violently assaulted by her manager at a Los Angeles store on June 24th. The attack left McLaughlin brain-dead due to oxygen deprivation, and her family made the heartbreaking decision to remove her from life support on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

According to reports from McLaughlin’s family and confirmed by law enforcement, the incident occurred after a verbal dispute between McLaughlin and her manager escalated into a physical confrontation. Jessica’s brother, Sean McLaughlin, stated on a GoFundMe page set up for the family that the manager “held her down, sat on top of her, and didn’t let her breathe.”

Coworkers reportedly attempted to intervene, but the assault continued. After eventually breaking free, McLaughlin collapsed and never regained consciousness. She was rushed to Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital, where doctors determined she had suffered irreversible brain damage due to a prolonged lack of oxygen. Her father, Clancey McLaughlin, told news outlets that his daughter’s brain was deprived of oxygen for over ten minutes.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) responded to a battery call at the 7-Eleven on Melrose Avenue and N. Arden Boulevard. Following McLaughlin’s death, the case has officially been escalated to a homicide investigation. Authorities are actively searching for the manager, who has not yet been publicly identified and is currently at large.

Reports also indicate that the suspect may have attempted to delete security footage from the back office of the store after the attack before fleeing the scene.

“Jessica had a way of making people feel safe, accepted, and loved. You could come to her with anything and know you wouldn’t be judged,” Sean McLaughlin wrote on the GoFundMe page. “She had such a beautiful soul and deserved so much better than the way her life was taken from her.”

7-Eleven, Inc. has issued a statement confirming that the suspect has been terminated from their employment and that the company is fully cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation.

This tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the devastating consequences of workplace violence. The search for the accused attacker continues as Jessica McLaughlin’s family grieves the unimaginable loss of their loved one.

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The Scoop Digital Newspaper
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