California store owner, mother of 9, fatally shot over a Pride flag displayed in her shop
By: NBC News
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Aug. 20, 2023, 4:50 PM UTCBy Doha Madani
A business owner was fatally shot Friday after someone allegedly took issue with a Pride flag she had displayed at her clothing store in Lake Arrowhead, California.
Deputies responded at 5 p.m. to the shooting at the Mag Pi clothing store, where owner Laura Ann Carleton was pronounced dead, the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department said in a news release. The suspect, who was not identified, ran away.
"Through further investigation, detectives learned the suspect made several disparaging remarks about a rainbow flag that stood outside the store before shooting Carleton," the news release said.
The suspect was armed when confronted by deputies and was killed in "a lethal force encounter," the sheriff's department said. An investigation continues.
The Mag Pi store website described Carleton as a mother of nine who has been "married to the same man for 28 years." Carleton, who went by the name Lauri, had studied at the Art Center School of Design and had had a long career in fashion, including 15 years as an executive at Kenneth Cole, the site said.
Mountain Provisions Cooperative, a local grocery store, said Saturday on social media that Carleton had been pivotal in helping organize a free store after a blizzard hit the area this year.
"Lauri was a pillar in our community, an immovable force in her values for equality, love, and justice," the post said. "If you knew Lauri you know she loved hard, laughed often, and nurtured and protected those she cared about."
The store encouraged people to "fly your flags in honor of Lauri."
Lake Arrowhead LGBTQ+ said on Instagram that Carleton did not identify as a member of the queer community but was an advocate "for everyone in the community."
"Lauri's unwavering support for the LBGTQ+ community and her dedication to creating a safe space within her shop touched the lives of many," the organization wrote in an Instagram Story. "Her untimely passing in a senseless act of violence has left us all deeply saddened."
Comments on the organization's social media account offered condolences to Carleton's family and paid tribute to her contributions around the Lake Arrowhead community. Some said the Pride flag at Mag Pi helped make them feel welcome and safe in the area.
"Bridesmaids" film director Paul Feig was among those in the comment section; he said Carleton would be "sorely missed."
"Lauri was such a wonderful person, so full of life and love," Feig wrote. "She always made us laugh and always laughed with us. Her commitment to the community in general and the LGBTQ community specifically was just one of her many wonderful qualities."
Doha Madani
Doha Madani is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. Pronouns: she/her.
Colin Sheeley contributed.
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A later report stated that this scum pulled down the Pride Flag and she confronted him and he shot her.
We seem to be on a downward spiral in the US, killing a mother of nine over a damn flag.
RIP Laura Ann Carleton.
rwnj's are using their media to amp up their crazies...
Glad to know that the murderer won't be able to hurt any more innocent people.
I agree, G.
homophobes need to physically pay a price for their actions...
A lot of hate walks among us. Why? And what is it that triggers some to believe their intolerance is legitimate?
I cannot explain it or remotely began to understand it, bbl.
Maybe Richard can.
I don't think that anyone that is at least partly sane can explain it, Thomas.
Now you are just tempting me...
careful, they have republican geezus on their side...
And he carries an AR-15
and wears a cross...
He wears his own torture device?
a tiny one, around his neck, like the hypocrite supporters that say they believe in him and ignore all his teachings...
Her poor family. How awful for them. How awful for that community. I'm glad the son of a bitch is dead because CA doesn't have a death penalty.
Shooting someone over a pride flag??? Sounds like somebody was triggered. Oh wait! Only the liberals get "triggered"
Kav....I doubt if this seed gets any comments from the other side and that's because they know how heinous this is and cannot in any way defend it
I saw her daughter interviewed last night. The daughter has a twin sister and she was completely devastated. There were a total of nine childern that will now be without a mother and husband mourning the death of his wife and other friends and family that will always have a hole in their heart because of the POS.
I read more this morning on the shooter, a nut that posted a lot of derogatory things about gay people. I have no problem with him being killed in a shootout with LEOs.
A very tragic situation. Sincere condolences to family and loved ones. Law enforcement officers saved the state the costs of room, board, and other costs by shooting the scumbag perp dead like he deserved.
I have no problem with any homophobes becoming victims of assertive law enforcement.
creating a class of people police can legally abuse could help reduce incidents that aren't... throw klan sheets, nazi and confederate flags in the mix too... /s
You want to talk about indoctrination? We hear that word used so much to denigrate schools, colleges, and libraries. But all those sources do is create people who might think a little differently. On the other hand, we have so much hate, hysteria, and fear being pushed on TV, radio, the internet, and evangelical churches that a lunatic was able to murder a woman over a flag.
Sadly, Tacos it is being more and more prevalent and I live in Florida where it's reached crazy levels.
I've been following this it was first reported. My condolences to the family, friends and community out there. But we all have to remember it's the Evangelical right wing populists that are the always the victims here, right?
Always. Those poor, persecuted, innocent beings
Yes, we here it everyday, day in and day out, EG.
they're definitely setting themselves up to be victims in the future...
Especially Richard
that is going to be one epic swan dive onto the sidewalk...
Splat
I didn't think Richard was Christian. He certainly doesn't act like it
no thumper does...
like his politics, his religious faction believes you can get off a lifetime of scumbaggery by utilizing a convenient religious technicality in your last breath...
I'm sure he'll stick the landing...
... like a water balloon.