A shop owner in Cedar Glen, California was fatally shot last week after a confrontation over a Pride flag displayed outside her store, according to police.
66-year-old Laura Ann Carleton was found with a gunshot wound by authorities at her shop Mag Pi on Friday. A suspect who fled the scene was located nearby, still armed, and killed in a lethal force encounter with police.
Investigators say the suspect had made disparaging remarks about the rainbow Pride flag before shooting Carleton, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Hollywood director Paul Feig, a friend of Carleton’s, said she was shot after confronting the suspect for ripping down the flag. Feig expressed devastation over the loss of an “ally” for the LGBTQ+ community.
Local LGBTQ+ organizations also mourned Carleton as a supporter who helped advocate for the community, despite not identifying as LGBTQ+ herself.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances but have indicated Carleton was targeted in a hate-driven attack over the Pride symbol outside her shop. The tragic incident has prompted calls for an end to the destructive impacts of anti-LGBTQ+ intolerance and hate speech.
Justice is now being sought for Carleton and the broader community still grappling with this senseless act of violence. Her death serves as a reminder of the progress still needed to combat anti-LGBTQ+ hatred and discrimination.
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