A dispute over an LGBTQ+ pride flag at a California clothing store spiraled into deadly violence this weekend when a man shot and killed the 66-year-old business owner right in front of her shop, authorities said.
The man ran away from the store after the shooting Friday night but was later found and killed in a confrontation with officers from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
The agency said Laura Ann Carleton was pronounced dead at Mag.Pi, the store she owned and operated in Cedar Glen. The small community in the San Bernadino Mountains is roughly 60 miles (96 kilometers) east of downtown Los Angeles.
Before the shooting, the man “made several disparaging remarks about a rainbow flag that stood outside the store,” sheriff's officials said.
It was not immediately clear what happened when officers confronted the man, whose identity hadn't been released as of Sunday.
Carleton, who preferred to be called “Lauri,” is survived by her husband and nine children in a blended family.
An LGBTQ group in nearby Lake Arrowhead said Carleton didn’t identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. But she spent time helping and advocating for everyone, and was defending her Pride flags placed in front of her shop on the night of the shooting, the group said.
There was an outpouring of support on social media over the weekend, with commenters expressing shock and sadness on the store's accounts. Many included rainbow flag emojis.
Law enforcement agencies in several states have investigated the destruction of rainbow Pride flags as potential hate crimes in recent years.
Real estate agent Abdul Muid, founder and principal of Ivey North, shares his checklist for finding an apartment with Cheddar News correspondent Shannon LaNier:
Renters are still struggling to find great apartments at reasonable prices, with 19 million renters spending at least third of their income on housing. Cheddar News correspondent Shannon LaNier visits Brooklyn, a hotbed for pricey apartments, and speaks with real estate agent Abdul Muid, founder and principal of Ivey North.
Credit Suisse violated a plea agreement with U.S. authorities by failing to report secret offshore accounts that wealthy Americans used to avoid paying taxes, U.S. lawmakers said Wednesday.
France may make it mandatory for influencers to tell followers if they refilter their Instagram photos. A proposed bill would require people to label their filtered and retouched images and videos with the goal of limiting their "destructive psychological effects" on social media users.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved selling overdose antidote naloxone over-the-counter, marking the first time a opioid treatment drug will be available without a prescription.
Unpacking the clean beauty trend
A Maryland appellate court on Tuesday reinstated Adnan Syed's murder conviction and ordered a new hearing in the case.
Millions of Americans could lose access to Medicaid on April 1, and Joe Dunn, senior vice president of public policy at the National Association of Community Health Centers, joined Cheddar News' anchor Shannon LaNier to discuss what this means for public health.
One third of Americans don't have access to primary care providers in their communities, according to a study from the National Association of Community Health Centers published last month.
Good2Know is your daily dose of stories that impact your day-to-day.
