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.
Swiss authorities pushed for UBS to take over its smaller rival after a plan for Credit Suisse to borrow up to 50 billion francs ($54 billion) failed to reassure investors and the bank’s customers.
Gov. Gavin Newsom will push for a 2024 ballot measure asking voters to fund housing and treatment for up to 12,000 unhoused people with mental illness or addiction.
Bragg's office has been calling witnesses to a grand jury investigating hush money paid on Trump’s behalf during his 2016 campaign. Law enforcement officials in New York City are making security preparations for the possibility Trump is charged and appears in court in Manhattan.
Actor Lance Reddick, who starred in the 'John Wick' franchise as well as 'The Wire' series, was found dead in his Studio City, Calif., home on Friday.
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, serving time for the 2020 murder of George Floyd, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting and failing to file tax returns to the state of Minnesota.
The International Criminal Court said Friday that it has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine.
Lawyers for Prince Harry have asked a judge to rule that a tabloid newspaper libeled the British royal with an article about his quest for police protection when he and his family visit the U.K.
Cheddar News' Shannon LaNier pays a visit to traditional Irish pub The Dead Rabbit in lower Manhattan on its biggest day of the year: St. Patrick's Day.
The mid-Atlantic is getting a taste of spring this weekend after a bit of rain.
Protests ensued after the State of Texas proposed taking control of the Houston Independent School District.
