Bio

John Jason McLaughlin was born in 1988 and raised in Cold Spring, Minnesota. He grew up in a household where firearms were present, as his father was a sergeant with the Stearns County Sheriff’s Department. McLaughlin had prior exposure to guns and had used them at supervised shooting ranges.

He attended schools within the Rocori School District, where he was generally described as a quiet and reserved student who kept to himself. He was not widely known among classmates and maintained limited social connections.

In the months leading up to September 2003, McLaughlin became increasingly withdrawn and socially isolated. Some individuals reported that he was self-conscious about his appearance and believed he was being teased by other students, although accounts of this varied.

Murder Story

On September 24, 2003, John Jason McLaughlin carried out a shooting at Rocori High School in Cold Spring, Minnesota. At the time, he was 15 years old. He brought a loaded .22-caliber pistol from his home to school, concealed in a bag.

Around midday, McLaughlin confronted 15-year-old Seth Bartell in a basement hallway and opened fire. Bartell was initially wounded, and a second shot struck 17-year-old Aaron Rollins, who was nearby. McLaughlin then pursued Bartell into the gymnasium and shot him in the head.

Aaron Rollins died later the same day from his injuries. Seth Bartell remained in critical condition and died on October 10, 2003.

Following the shooting, a teacher intervened, and McLaughlin surrendered the weapon without further incident. He was taken into custody the same day. In a recorded statement to investigators, he admitted bringing the gun to school and stated that he intended to harm individuals he believed had been teasing him.

In 2005, McLaughlin was found guilty of first-degree murder for the death of Seth Bartell and second-degree murder for the death of Aaron Rollins. In August 2005, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, along with an additional consecutive sentence. He will not be eligible for parole for several decades. McLaughlin remains incarcerated within the Minnesota state prison system.