In California Pride flag shooting, a suspect identified and a community galvanized

As authorities continue to investigate the shooting death of a California woman linked to a confrontation over a Pride flag, members of the Cedar Glen community have placed hundreds more rainbow flags and flowers at the site of the shooting.

The violence at Laura Carleton's shop in Cedar Glen, about two hours east of Los Angeles, is the latest in a trend of attacks targeting rainbow LGBTQ Pride flags.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department identified the shooter as Travis Ikeguchi, 27, of Cedar Glen. Before fatally shooting 66-year-old Laura Carleton, Ikeguchi tore down her Pride flag and yelled "many homophobic slurs" toward her, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said at a Monday press conference.

Ikeguchi also "made several disparaging remarks" about the Pride flag hanging outside Carleton's clothing shop, Mag.Pi, before shooting Carleton, the Sheriff's Department said in a press release.

Daughters remember Carleton as 'fearless'

In an Instagram post, Ari and Kelsey Carleton remembered their mother as a courageous advocate who stood up for others, even in the face of setbacks. They also said her death occurred because of a "senseless act of violence."

“Our beautiful mommy was taken from us,” they wrote. “Our family is broken.” 

They called the shooting “a hate crime” and said their mother’s Pride flags had repeatedly been torn down. Each time, Carleton “always responded by putting up a bigger one,” the post says.

“She was fearless, cool and compassionate — always putting others first,” they said of the mother of nine.

Carleton will be 'truly missed' by LGBTQ community

Members of the Cedar Glen community have taken to social media to say Carleton was an unwavering ally for LGBTQ people.

Lake Arrowhead LGBTQ+, a local charity, said Carleton was a strong supporter of LGBTQ rights.

“Today is a very sad day for Lake Arrowhead and for the LGBT community,” the charity said on social media. “Lauri did not identify as LGBTQ+ but spent her time helping & advocating for everyone in the community. She will be truly missed.”

The group lists Carleton’s shop, Map.Pi, as an “ally business” on its website.

A growing trend of attacks on Pride flags

Before Carleton was shot and killed Friday over a Pride flag hanging outside her shop, authorities across the country had been responding this summer to a growing number of attacks targeting LGBTQ flags.

Sarah Moore, an extremism analyst with the Anti-Defamation League and GLAAD, said she has in recent months tracked incidents across the country where people damage, burn or steal Pride flags hanging outside private residences, restaurants and other businesses. Earlier this year, there was an online hate campaign using a hashtag that advocated for a destroy-the-Pride-flag challenge.

“There's definitely been an increase in attacks against Pride flags," Moore told USA TODAY.

Just in August, Moore has tracked attacks on Pride flags in Newtown, Connecticut; Capitola, California; Hamtramck, Michigan; Seattle and Houston.

In some instances, violence has also been directed against the perceived owners of the Pride flag, Moore said. But she said she's not aware of another instance where someone was killed over displaying a Pride flag.

What happened at the Mag.Pi shop?

On Friday, Ikeguchi ripped down an LGBTQ Pride flag outside Carleton's clothing shop, Mag.Pi.

Ikeguchi then shot Carleton and fled on foot. Carleton was pronounced dead at the shop, officials said.

When sheriff's deputies confronted Ikeguchi about a mile from the store Friday night, he opened fire on them, striking multiple squad cars, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Shannon Dicus said. Deputies returned fire and shot Ikeguchi, who died at the scene, Dicus said. No deputies were hurt.

The day before the shooting, Ikeguchi's family had reported him missing to the Sheriff's Department, officials said.

Shooter posted hateful content on social media

Ikeguchi, who lived in Cedar Glen, frequently posted hate-filled content on social media, sheriff's officials said.

Moore said she has been studying social media posts on accounts that appear to have belonged to Ikeguchi. The posts include images of a Pride flag burning and an anti-LGBTQ image showing someone holding a gun.

The images on the social media accounts of the burning Pride flag are “in line with" other social media accounts from people espousing "anti-LGBTQ conspiracy theories and increasing calls for violence against the community," Moore said.

Besides posting anti-LGBTQ rhetoric on social media, the shooter's profile also included anti-Semitic, racist and misogynist posts, Moore said.

For that reason, the hate aimed at Carleton should not be solely remembered as anti-LGBTQ hate, she said.

"We need folks to realize that this stuff doesn't just impact the LGBTQ community," Moore said. "This is something that impacts so many different people and so many different intersections of identities."

Contributing: Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY; Associated Press