Jessica McLaughlin, a 24-year-old 7-Eleven employee, died after being taken off life support following a brutal attack by her manager at a Los Angeles convenience store on June 24. The Los Angeles Police Department has launched a homicide investigation into her death, which occurred at 10:34 a.m. on July 2.

The incident took place around 2:15 p.m. on June 24 at the 7-Eleven location in the 5700 block of Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Police responded to reports of a battery and found McLaughlin unconscious on the store floor. She was immediately transported to Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in critical condition.

According to the LAPD, the altercation began as a verbal dispute between McLaughlin and her female manager that escalated into a physical confrontation. McLaughlin’s family alleges the manager held her down, sat on top of her, and prevented her from breathing. Her brother Sean McLaughlin described the attack in a GoFundMe post, stating that his sister was violently and senselessly attacked by one of her managers.

Sean McLaughlin wrote that “she held her down, sat on top of her, and didn’t let her breathe.” He further alleged that when coworkers attempted to intervene and help his sister, they were also attacked. The manager allegedly pulled Jessica’s hair during the assault, which left the young woman unable to breathe.

After McLaughlin managed to break free from the attack, she collapsed and never regained consciousness. She reportedly told her coworkers to call 911, indicating she couldn’t breathe. The 911 caller informed the Los Angeles Fire Department that McLaughlin was unconscious and that someone had performed CPR on her, but she did not revive.

The family alleges that while coworkers were performing CPR and calling for help, the manager ran to the back office and attempted to delete security camera footage of the incident. The suspect then fled the scene on her bicycle, according to the family’s account.

McLaughlin’s father, Clancey McLaughlin, explained that his daughter’s brain was deprived of oxygen for more than 10 minutes. Medical professionals at the hospital declared her brain dead due to the lack of oxygen. The family had been praying for a miracle, but ultimately made the difficult decision to remove her from life support after obtaining second opinions and exhausting all options.

The suspect remains at large, and police have not released her name or description. However, investigators have obtained video evidence of the incident, though they are not releasing it to the public at this time. The LAPD has assigned Operations West Bureau Homicide detectives to the case.

7-Eleven Inc. issued a statement regarding the incident, indicating that the company’s hearts are with those impacted during this difficult time. The company confirmed that the suspect has been terminated from employment and stated they continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement in their investigation.

Sean McLaughlin established a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral expenses for his sister, which has raised over $30,000 toward its $50,000 goal. In the campaign description, he described Jessica as more than just his sister, calling her a daughter, best friend, and the kind of aunt every child dreams of having. He noted that she had been his rock for the past five years while they lived together and was always there for him, their family, and anyone who needed her.

The family indicated that Jessica had a way of making people feel safe, accepted, and loved. Sean McLaughlin wrote that people could approach her with anything and know they wouldn’t be judged. He described her as having a beautiful soul who deserved better than the way her life was taken from her.

McLaughlin was surrounded by her parents, boyfriend, two brothers, sister, and stepfather when she passed away. The family’s lawyer has stated they are seeking accountability and justice in the case.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office is currently in the process of determining McLaughlin’s official cause and manner of death. The case remains under active investigation as detectives continue their search for the suspect.