Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Laughlin succumbed to a gunshot wound received two days earlier after he responding to a report of a disturbance on Washington Avenue North. When he arrived one of the suspects stated he would not be arrested and fled. Officer Laughlin chased him and as he came around the corner on First Avenue he exchanged shots with the man and was struck in the stomach. He was taken to his home where he died two days later. The suspect was apprehended and charged with assault with a deadly weapon. The suspect was convicted of second degree manslaughter and sentenced to 7 years hard labor.
Survivors
Officer Laughlin had been with the agency for only two months and was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MN-74156C86- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
142 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Officer Laughlin served with the Minneapolis Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Minneapolis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer Robert Laughlin is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In MN, 173 of 293 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59% of this state's fallen. That is 59 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Minneapolis Police Department, 32 of 50 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert Laughlin's cause is highlighted.
How Robert Laughlin Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Laughlin is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Robert Laughlin was killed by handgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
49 officers from Minneapolis Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
