2003 Rocori High School shooting
The Rocori High School shooting was a school shooting that occurred at Rocori High School on September 24, 2003 in Cold Spring, Minnesota, United States. The shooter was identified as 15 year-old freshman John Jason McLaughlin, who murdered 14-year-old freshman Seth Bartell and 17-year-old senior Aaron Rollins. Prior to the shooting, McLaughlin was described as "quiet and withdrawn". Shooting McLaughlin (born July 19, 1988) arrived at school with a loaded Colt .22-caliber handgun with the intention of killing Bartell, whom McLaughlin claimed bullied him over his acne. McLaughlin met Bartell and Rollins as they were exiting the school locker room. He shot at Bartell, hitting him in the chest. McLaughlin fired a second shot at Bartell, which missed and hit Rollins in the neck, killing him instantly. Bartell attempted to flee the scene, but he was followed by McLaughlin, who fired another shot at Bartell, hitting him in the forehead. Gym coach Mark Johnson then confronted McLaughlin, who initially brandished the gun at Johnson, but then emptied the bullets from the gun and dropped it. Johnson secured the gun and took McLaughlin to the school office. Bartell was taken to the St. Cloud Hospital, where he was treated for severe