Laura Ann Carleton, Cedar Glen, California store owner shot dead in confrontation over Pride flag hanging outside her store as incidence of possible hate crimes continues.
A California shopkeeper and clothing designer was shot and killed over the weekend following a confrontation with a man who objected to her displaying a LGBTQ + pride flag, authorities said.
Laura Ann Carleton, 66, was found with a bullet wound at her Mag Pi shop in Cedar Glen, California, on Friday.
A male suspect – who fled the scene on foot – was killed by police when he was found nearby, allegedly still armed.
Shooter’s identity not publicly released
The suspect who was not publicly identified, made ‘disparaging remarks’ about the rainbow flag before shooting the victim, police said.
Carleton was shot at moments after confronting the suspect for ripping down the flag outside her store.
Carleton was pronounced dead at the scene, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
Carleton ran and owned the Mag.Pi clothing store in Cedar Glen, an unincorporated community in the San Bernardino mountains roughly 60 miles (100km) east of Los Angeles.
Carleton’s death led to an outpouring of support and sentiment on social media.
Outpouring support on social media
In a Tweet, director Paul Feig connected Carleton’s death to a large wave of anti-LGBT backlash, writing, ‘What happened to her is an absolute tragedy. If people don’t think anti-gay & trans rhetoric isn’t dangerous, think again.’
An LGBTQ+ group in nearby Lake Arrowhead said Carleton did not identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community but spent time helping and advocating for everyone. She was defending her Pride flags placed in front of her shop on the night of the shooting, the group said.
‘Lauri was a pillar in our community, an immovable force in her values for equality, love, and justice,’ according to a shared post on Instagram. ‘If you knew Lauri you know she loved hard, laughed often, and nurtured and protected those she cared about.’
Law enforcement agencies in several states have investigated the destruction of rainbow Pride flags as potential hate crimes in recent years, the Guardian reported.
Carleton, who preferred to be called ‘Lauri’, is survived by her husband and nine children in a blended family.
