Robert Laughlin

Minneapolis Police Department — Minneapolis, MN

Felonious

End of Watch July 28, 1884

Age 36

Tour of Duty 2 mo

The Vigil Panel 8 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 49

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: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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

Department Minneapolis Police Department

Location Minneapolis, MN

Platform Identity mpd.hennepin.mn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 28, 1884

Tour of Duty 2 mo

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Offender Sentenced to 7 years

Officer Robert Laughlin is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 4.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

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.

Minneapolis Police Department

of 50 officers

64% Felonious

MN — Statewide

173

of 293 officers

59% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious