A Hollywood 7-Eleven employee has died after she was allegedly attacked by her store manager during a shift last week, according to her family.
It was around 2:15 p.m. on June 24, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, when officers from the Wilshire Division responded to a call about a felony battery at the convenience store on the 5700 block of Melrose Avenue.
LAPD said an altercation happened between a female victim and a female suspect, where they got into a verbal argument that turned physical. Officers arrived to find a woman in her 20s unconscious on the floor with critical injuries. She was rushed to a hospital, but police say the suspect had fled the scene before authorities arrived. No arrests have been announced as of June 30.
Family members identified the victim as Jessica McLaughlin. Her brother, Sean McLaughlin, told KTLA that Jessica was nearing the end of her shift when the assistant manager began antagonizing her and threw a bottle at her. The situation then escalated, he said.
Other employees told the family that the manager had pinned Jessica to the ground and straddled her, causing her to lose oxygen and ultimately lose consciousness. The assistant manager then allegedly attempted to delete the store’s surveillance footage before fleeing on a bicycle, according to Sean.
Doctors purportedly told the family that the lack of oxygen caused irreversible brain damage. Jessica was declared clinically dead, and her family has planned to take her off life support Tuesday or Wednesday, pending funeral arrangements. She had reportedly told loved ones before the incident that she had been experiencing bullying at work.
Jessica’s father has remained at her side at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital, where the family is grieving and calling for justice.
Sean McLaughlin launched a GoFundMe to raise money for Jessica’s funeral, writing: “Jessica McLaughlin is my sister — but she’s so much more than that. She’s a daughter, a best friend, and the kind of auntie every kid dreams of having. … She had such a beautiful soul and deserved so much better than the way her life was taken from her.”
He described how coworkers attempted to give Jessica CPR after the attack, but the damage was already done.
“Doctors and detectives later confirmed what we already knew in our hearts — Jessica didn’t do anything wrong. She was the victim, and this attack should have never happened,” he wrote.
“Now we’re trying to give her the goodbye she deserves. … If you can help — whether it’s by donating or just sharing this — it would mean everything to us.”
KTLA has reached out to 7-Eleven regarding this incident and is awaiting a response. The investigation remains ongoing, and LAPD is still searching for the suspect.
Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this article.