A California clothes retailer proprietor who was shot useless throughout an argument over a Pride flag was “fearless”, her daughter says.
Laura Ann Carleton, 66, was shot useless on Friday exterior her Mag.Pi retailer in Lake Arrowhead, 86 miles east of Los Angeles, by a gunman who had made disparaging remarks about an LGBT+ flag exterior the shop, based on the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
The armed suspect was shot useless by deputies close to Torrey Rd and Rause Rancho Rd, authorities stated. He has not been recognized.
Ari Carleton, one of many store proprietor’s 9 kids, informed the New York Times her mom had at all times taught “love, acceptance and equality”.
Laura Carleton was “fearless” and had at all times put different individuals’s wants earlier than her personal, Ari Carleton informed the Times.
Since Ms Carleton opened Mag.Pi two years in the past, the rainbow flag hanging exterior the shop had been eliminated a number of instances, Ari informed the publication.
The retailer offered ethically sourced clothes and included a few of Carleton’s designs, her daughter informed the Times.
In February, when a winter blizzard dumped as much as 4 toes of snow on the San Bernardino Mountains, Ms Carleton turned her retailer into an emergency reduction heart and handed out provides to native residents along with her husband Bort.
“That really sums up who she was as a person,” Ari Carleton stated.
Hollywood stars and members of the LGBT+ group have expressed their shock at Carleton’s murder.
Writer Alok Vaid-Menon wrote in a social media publish that they had been “deeply saddened” by her demise.
“This is our country now and we can’t look away,” the creator stated. “Thank you for your allyship. Thank you for your love. I’ll never forget you.”
Director Paul Feig described Carleton as his “wonderful friend”, telling the Times that he would often have dinner along with her in Lake Arrowhead.
The Lake Arrowhead LGBT+ group group is planning to carry a vigil for Carleton as soon as Tropical Storm Hilary passes.
“We as a community will stand against hate crimes against anybody,” the group wrote.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department haven’t but confirmed if Carleton’s demise is being handled as a hate crime.
In July, GLAAD warned that hate and extremism spiked through the annual Pride celebrations, with a minimum of 356 incidents reported between June 2022 and April 2023.