Travis Ikeguchi id as Cedar Clen gunman who shot dead California clothing store owner Laura Ann Carleton over her Pride flag. Gunman’s social media accounts showed him making anti-LGBTQ posts, including showing burning flags and targeting the community as going against ‘family values.’
A gunman who shot dead a California store owner over displaying a Pride flag outside her clothing store has been identified as a 27 year old local Cedar Glen man who openly attacked and vilified same sex rights on his social media pages.
Travis Ikeguchi, according to authorities is alleged to have made ‘disparaging remarks’ about Laura Ann Carleton’s LGBTQ+ flag leading up to the man shooting the store owner after she confronted the local after he tore down the Pride flag outside her store.
Ikeguchi was located near the scene of the crime armed with a handgun and was subsequently shot dead by deputies. As investigations continue, details about Ikeguchi’s background, his potential motivations, and any connections he may have had to Laura Carleton are being scrutinized.
‘What to do with the LGBTQP flag?’
During a Monday afternoon press conference, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said a 911 caller told dispatchers Ikeguchi cut down the flag while he argued with Carleton before shooting her. He also said the suspect yelled ‘many homophobic slurs’ toward Carleton.
Of disconcert were postings the alleged gunman made on his Twitter and Gab account, which were both seemingly with hate speech against LGBTQ people people.
According to a Gab post obtained by Eyewitness News, Ikeguchi shared a photo of a burning Pride flag and wrote, ‘We need to stop compromising on this LGBT dictatorship and not let them take over our lives.’ The caption later asked, ‘Who has the courage to post this and feel no shame of it!?’
In one Twitter posting, Ikeguchi’s pinned a tweet of a pride flag burning with the caption ‘What to do with the LGBTQP flag?’
What to do with the LGBTQP flag? pic.twitter.com/8O57VSrn2Y
— Travis Ikeguchi (@TravisIkeguchi) June 13, 2023
Openly vilified LGBTQ community on social media
Posted the gunman on June 23, ‘Abortion and same-sex marriage are both immoral and are design to destroy humanity one by one. So if someone is pro-abortion and pro-LGBTQP, they are at war against the foundation of family values.’
Read Ikeguchi’s Twitter handle @TravisIkeguchi: ‘There is only one way to the path of salvation and to have eternal life and that is through Jesus Christ. And yes, the path is narrow.’
Laura Ann Carleton’s untimely death has shone a spotlight on her enduring commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and her advocacy for equality.
Described as a staunch ally of the LGBTQ+ community, Laura Carleton proudly displayed a pride flag outside her store as an act of solidarity and support. Her daughters, Ari and Kelsey, said that their mother maintained an enduring commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and her advocacy for equality.
Ongoing acts of harassment, vandalism and or assault against LGBTQ
Family members emphasized that Laura’s murder was undoubtedly a hate crime, reflecting the dangerous consequences of bigotry.
Family members described the recurring pattern of vandalism that Laura faced, as rainbow flags outside her store were repeatedly torn down by vandals. Each time, Laura demonstrated her unwavering determination by replacing them with even larger flags.
Monday’s tragic shooting comes amid a rise in anti-LGBTQ+ extremism across the United States that has led to protests, threats and violence against the community.
A report this year by the Anti-Defamation League and the LGBTQ+ organization GLAAD shows there were more than 356 incidents of harassment, vandalism or assault from June 2022 to April 2023, which the report says coincides with an increase in rhetoric and legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
