“Lauri was a pillar in our community, an immovable force in her values for equality, love, and justice,” a social media tribute read.
A 66-year-old business owner was allegedly killed over the Pride flag she chose to hang outside her store. Laura “Lauri” Ann Carleton owned the Mag.Pi clothing store in Cedar Glen, California, near Lake Arrowhead. She was shot on Friday after a suspect, whom authorities identified as 27-year-old Travis Ikeguchi, “made several disparaging remarks about a rainbow flag that stood outside the store,” according to a news release by the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department.
According to the release, deputies responded to the shooting outside Mag.Pi at 5 p.m., where Carleton was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect, still armed, fled on foot, and was killed in a “lethal force encounter” by deputies. In a press conference on Monday, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said that after fleeing, Ikeguchi was confronted by officers. He opened fire, hitting multiple squad cars, and was fatally shot a mile from the store.
During the investigation, deputies learned that the suspect made numerous remarks about the Pride flag before shooting Carleton. Director Paul Feig, who was friends with Carleton, wrote on Instagram, “He ripped it down and when she confronted him about it he shot and killed her.”
According to authorities, Ikeguchi killed Carleton with a semiautomatic handgun that was not registered to him in the state of California, and he did not have a concealed carry license.
At Monday’s press conference, Sheriff Dicus said that Ikeguchi had posted anti-LGBTQ content online and his family had reported him missing the day before the shooting. He shouted “many homophobic slurs” at Carleton.
Per NBC News, officials are yet to confirm that certain social media pages are linked to Ikeguchi, an X (formerly known as Twitter) account that includes his full name was made in 2015. One 2018 post responding to a Mastercard advert featuring model Elliott Sailors reads: “LGBT people need to stop asking the world for acceptance, instead they should start accepting Jesus Christ in their hearts and turn away from their false sexual identity that the devil deceived them to be!” It continued to call LGBTQ inclusion a “cancer.”
Who was Laura “Lauri” Ann Carleton?
Before opening up Mag.Pi, Carleton had a long career in fashion. She studied at the ArtCenter School of Design in Pasadena and spent 15 years as an executive at Kenneth Cole. Carleton was married for 28 years and, according to Mag.Pi’s website, was “the mother of a blended family of nine children.”
Tributes for Carleton have poured in on social media. Mountain Provisions Cooperative, a local grocery store, wrote on Instagram, “Lauri was a pillar in our community, an immovable force in her values for equality, love, and justice.” It continued, “If you knew Lauri you know she loved hard, laughed often, and nurtured and protected those she cared about.”
Lake Arrowhead’s LGBTQ+ organization wrote on Instagram, “Lauri did not identify as LGBTQ+, but spent her time helping & advocating for everyone in the community.”
Kenneth Cole, Carleton’s former employer, took to X: “An unnecessary and tragic death to a long time KCP assoc and friend,” he wrote, adding “#GunReformNow #Pride2023“.
Many of the tributes were quick to point out that Carleton’s murder has occurred in a time of growing threats and acts of violence against the LGBTQ+ community. Paul Feig shared a photo of him and Carleton on Instagram, writing in the caption, “this intolerance has to end. Anyone using hateful language against the LGBTQ+ community has to realize their words matter, that their words can inspire violence against innocent loving people.”
Actress Kristin Davis, who met Carleton while shopping at Mag.Pi over the summer, wrote on Instagram, “Lauri was a strong ally, when her Pride flags were stollen [sic] she quickly replaced them. To think that she was murdered for her support of our LQBTQ+ family tears my heart into pieces.”
A photo of the Mag.Pi store posted to Instagram by Lake Arrowhead LGBTQ+ shows bouquets covering the steps and multiple rainbow flags strewn across the entrance. The organization wrote that a vigil will be held at Mag.Pi after tropical storm Hilary clears.
“She was a wonderful person who did so much for the LGBTQ+ community as well as the community at large,” Feig wrote on X (formerly Twitter). What happened to her is an absolute tragedy. If people don’t think anti-gay & trans rhetoric isn’t dangerous, think again.”
