Store Owner Fatally Shot Over LGBTQ+ Pride Flag
Do you want to see more action taken to protect LGBTQ+ rights in America? Contact your reps
What’s the story?
- Last week, store owner Laura Ann Carleton was fatally shot by a man for having a Pride flag in her shop in California.
- The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department identified the suspect as 27-year-old Travis Ikeguchi, who ran off after the shooting and was later killed by law enforcement. The department said he “made several disparaging remarks about a rainbow flag that stood outside the store.”
- Carleton, known as Lauri, is survived by her husband and nine children. Her store, Mag.Pi, is listed as a “business ally” by community group Lake Arrowhead LGBTQ+.
The response
- Lake Arrowhead LGBTQ+ wrote on Facebook:
“Lauri did not identify as LGBTQ+, but spent her time helping & advocating for everyone in the community. She will truly be missed.”
- Ari Carleton, her daughter, said:
“I just want the world to remember her for who she was. And that she passed away in a place that she cherished, doing what she loved and defending something that was so important to her.”
- Ari added that the Pride flag outside Mag.Pi had been removed by different people numerous times since the store opened, and her mom continued to put it back up.
- Hollywood director and friend of Carleton, Paul Feig, paid tribute to the storeowner on Instagram, writing:
“We are all devastated for her husband Bort and her family and the LGBTQ+ community, for whom Lauri was such a true ally…[T]his 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.”
Violence against the LGBTQ+ community
- State governments have advanced a record number of bills attacking LGBTQ+ rights — especially trans youth. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is tracking nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills across the U.S.
- The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) declared an official state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people, warning of an unprecedented spike in hate crimes and legislative attacks. Kelley Robinson, HRC President, said:
“LGBTQ+ Americans are living in a state of emergency. The multiplying threats facing millions in our community are not just perceived — they’re real, tangible and dangerous. In many cases they are resulting in violence against LGBTQ+ people, forcing families to uproot their lives and flee their homes in search of safer states, and triggering a tidal wave of increased homophobia and transphobia…”
Do you want to see more action taken to protect LGBTQ+ rights in America? Contact your reps
-Jamie Epstein
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This violence is despicable, and the hate and lack of compassion have been openly accepted by many in the Republican party. I see a lack of acceptance of differences as one of the pivotal issues of this time. Please don't talk of freedom and then talk about taking away the rights of marginalized populations. Freedom should be for everyone.
On the Republican stage last night, you had leaders telling their audience "there are only two genders". Did they ever take a biology class? Ever?
Hailey went on to say, in a disgusted voice, how absolutely horrifying for a transgender born male to walk into a girl's restroom. She has probably been squatting next to transgenders all her life and never knew! If that same woman went to use the men's bathroom...now that would spell trouble (for the person who is trans).
I hope these people get educated. I'm so tired of the ignorance.
This is why we must condemn hate speech every time we see it, and everywhere.
It's all causal. Hate speech against LGBTQ people, Jewish people, Asian people, Black people, and immigrants all just helps to incite violence against those people.
Even if you don't support violence against others, every time you say something nasty about minorities or groups of people you make it ok to do nasty things to them.
We know for a fact that the Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and El Paso shooters were radicalized online and posted hate speech against the groups they massacred.
I'm sorry for those who don't understand that your "free speech" ends when it inspires hate and violence against others.
Let's all stop the hate.
Where is the outrage from the House and senate?
The slience is deafing!!
Just heartbreaking! Again I ask (too many times really), what the hell is wrong with people? Over a damn flag? republicans have "people" outraged over this entire community, who have always been "there" but just went on with their lives without bothering anyone. You know, living life! All of a sudden because republicans said so, our country is being destroyed and the children must be saved???
Vote OUT each and every republican!
Absolutely horrendous! Is it REALLY 2023?
Hey Reps., your silence says it all!
ABC ... https://abcnews.go.com/US/california-store-owner-shot-dead-dispute-displaying-pride/story?id=102408818
CBS ... https://www.cbsnews.com/news/storeowner-shot-dead-dispute-lgbtq-pride-flag/
NBC ... https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/suspect-named-fatal-shooting-california-store-owner-pride-flag-rcna101085
NPR ... https://www.npr.org/2023/08/20/1194932544/lauri-carleton-california-store-owner-killed-pride-flag-lgbtq
Where do I begin?
Shall we talk about:
mental health?
semi-automatic assault weapons?
hate-filled, homophobic FB posts?
or, how about our government's inability to adequately legislate on any of the above?
A good friend of my cousin, and a wife and mother of 9 children!
A tradgedy!
Killed by a religious fanatic posting anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ on sicual media. Apparently against killing a fetus but no problem killing people once they are born using an unregistered gun without a permit for concealed carry.
"Ikeguchi, who lived in Cedar Glen, had a history of posting hateful content online, the sheriff said, adding that his family had reported him missing the day prior. He shot Carleton with a semiautomatic handgun, which was not registered to him, and he did not have a concealed carry license"
https://www.newsweek.com/travis-ikeguchi-social-media-filled-anti-lgbtq-posts-1821504
https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/22/man-shot-california-store-owner-tore-down-pride-flag-shouted-slurs
This is what you get with lax gun laws or basically no guns laws at all and the damn Republicans harping on the "evils" of being LGBTQ+ and if Republicans maintain political control we can expect more of this kind of shit. My deepest sympathy goes out to her family and friend s. No one should have to die just because they are accepting of diversity.
This is what happens when you rile people up with the divisive tactics used liberally on social media/online. They purposely make people angry because it keeps them longer on sites, which makes them more money. Then that anger spills over...
it's terrible.