It has been 10 months since a gunman shot and killed a 66-year-old mother of nine over a pride flag outside her store, and her family and local community are honoring her memory this Pride month. Laura Ann "Lauri" Carleton consistently displayed a rainbow flag outside her Lake Arrowhead, California, clothing shop, Mag.Pi.
Her daughter, Ari Carleton, told that every time someone tore the pride flag down from outside the store, her mother responded by putting up a bigger one. On Aug. 18, 2023, a 27-year-old man entered the store and made disparaging remarks about the flag and "yelled many homophobic slurs toward (Lauri) Carleton," San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus .
The man then opened fire, shooting Lauri Carleton, and ran away, officials said at the time. The suspect, Travis Ikeguchi, with police that day. Later, officials found Ikeguche had several anti-LGBTQ and anti-law enforcement posts on his social media.
Lauri Carleton died at her store, leaving behind her nine children and husband, Bort. In a recent , Lauri Carleton's daughters Kelsey and Ari Carleton opened up about their late mother and her lifelong support of the LGBTQIA+ community. “She was just a fighter for equality, and that’s all she ever fought for and wanted,” Kelsey Carleton told the station.
“She didn’t want anyone to feel left out.” Ari Carleton said she learned a lot from her mom over the years, including "to be independent, to be strong." “But she also taught me to stand up for m.
