Laura Carleton news: Travis Ikeguchi, 27, named as gunman who killed California store owner over Pride flag

Skylar Baker-Jordan writes for Independent Voices:

“It was only a matter of time.”

That was my first thought upon hearing of the callous and hateful murder of Laura Carleton, the owner of Mag Pi Clothing in Cedar Glen, California. A straight woman, Carleton was fatally shot by a man who confronted her over an LGBTQ+ Pride flag which was displayed at her shop. Her assailant was later killed by police.

This was not the first time someone had taken issue with Carleton’s Pride flag. As The Independent has previously reported, friends of Carleton say that the flag has been ripped down multiple times. Every time, she simply replaced the flag with another, refusing to cave in to the hateful bigots who vandalized her shop.

The inevitability of something like this happening was apparent to anyone paying attention.

Laura “Lauri” Carlton was a “dear friend, mom to many, ally, organizer, entrepreneur” and a co-founder of the Mountain Provisions Cooperative in Lake Arrowhead in California’s San Bernardino Mountains.

“Lauri was a pillar in our community, an immovable force in her values for equality, love, and justice,” the cooperative wrote on Facebook.

“If you knew Lauri you know she loved hard, laughed often, and nurtured and protected those she cared about. She was a force, she loved to crack jokes and wanted to live as joyful of a life as possible. We will continue to stand for the values she so selflessly stood for. Her death will not be in vain.”

The man who gunned down a beloved store owner in California during a dispute over a Pride flag, was killed during “a lethal force encounter” with police.

The shooter was named by authorities in San Bernardino County on Monday as Travis Ikeguchi, 27, who killed his victim with an unregistered Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol.

The man shot and killed Laura Ann Carleton, 66, at her clothing store Mag.Pi after he made “several disparaging remarks about a rainbow flag that stood outside the store,” officials said.

It was unclear whether the shooting was being investigated as a hate crime.

When people first ripped down the Pride flag hanging outside her store, Carleton simply got another and hung it straight back up.

Friends say this happened multiple times in the two years since she opened the California store as a second outpost to her first location in Studio City.

Andrea Cavallier reports.

Ari and Kelsey Carleton, two of the shop owner’s nine children, wrote on Instagram that their “beautiful mommy” had been taken in a “senseless act of violence”.

“She was murdered over a pride flag that she proudly hung on her storefront. Make no mistake, this was a hate crime,” the daughters wrote.

“Our family is broken. We have a long road ahead of us as we navigate this new reality without our loving matriarch.”

Carleton opened her first Mag.Pi clothing store in Studio City, Los Angeles, in 2013, selling ethically sourced clothing including some of Carleton’s designs.

Ari and Kelsey Carleton said that in the two years since her mother opened her second Cedar Glen, vandals had on several occasions ripped down Pride flags hanging outside.

Each time, her mother would replace them with bigger ones, they said.

Actor Jamie Lee Curtis has reacted as the death of a California store owner, who was killed following an argument over a Pride flag at her business, sent shockwaves across the US.

Laura Ann Carleton, 66, was killed after the gunman reportedly took issue with a large LGBTQ+ Pride flag that was hanging outside her shop, according to police.

The shooter, a 27-year-old man, was subsequently shot dead by law enforcement.

In her own Instagram tribute, Curtis wrote: “My hand in yours @alokvmenon.”

“I feel deeply saddened by this,” the caption continued. “This is our country now and we can’t look away. Rest in peace Laura Ann Carleton, a mother of nine. Thank you for your allyship. Thank you for your love. I’ll never forget you.”

Californian Democratic House candidate Derek Marshall has paid tribute to slain shop owner Laura ‘Lauri’ Carleton as a fierce LGBTQ+ ally.

Mr Marshall, who is running for California’s 23rd district, wrote that he had been a guest on Carleton’s boat for Lake Arrowhead’s Pride Boat Parade in June.

He described her as “witty, funny” and someone who had “that special energy that can move mountains”.

“A while back, we discussed the the blowback she received for flying the pride flag. She was committed to visibility as a part of changing the narrative around LGBTQIA+ rights and acceptance. She will be sorely missed, but certainly not forgotten.”

Hollywood stars have been speaking out over the deadly shooting of Laura Carleton.

Director Paul Feig paid tribute to his “wonderful friend” on social media after she was killed by an unnamed gunman over the weekend.

Several of his celebrity friends also reacted to her killing in the comments under his post.

Hollywood star Charlize Theron said Carleton’s death was “heartbreaking”, while The Office star Kate Flannery wrote: “Paul! I’m so sorry for your loss. And I’m sorry for the state of the world.”

“Truly heartbreaking,” wrote One Tree Hill star Sophia Bush. US actor Timothy Omundson wrote: “It is so horrific that an expression of love and support for a marginalised community, should lead to such radicalized hatred and violence every shop in Arrowhead village should hang a pride flag to honor this brave wife and mother.”

Friends say this happened multiple times in the two years since she opened the California store as a second outpost to her first location in Studio City.

And, throughout it all, the 66-year-old mother-of-nine remained defiant as a prominent ally to the LGBT+ community.

This weekend, it happened once again.

Except this time, the flag removal ended with her murder – with the perpetrator shooting her in cold blood in the street.

A gunman who killed California shop owner Laura “Lauri” Carleton after making “disparaging remarks” about her LGBTQ+ flag has been named by authorities.

Travis Ikeguchi, 27, shot the 66-year-old mother-of-nine dead outside of her Mag.Pi store in Cedar Glen, 83 miles east of Los Angeles, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement on Monday.

Deputies found Carleton outside the store suffering from a single gunshot wound at 5pm (PT) on Friday. She was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical responders.

The suspect was located nearby near Torrey Rd and Rause Rancho Rd armed with a handgun, and was shot dead by deputies.

Bevan Hurley has the full story: