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A California Small Business Owner Was Fatally Shot Outside Shop Over a Pride Flag: 'This Senseless Act of Hate and Violence Is Unthinkable.' Laura Ann Carleton, a mother of nine, was shot outside of her store, Mag.Pi.

By Sam Silverman

Key Takeaways

  • Laura Ann Carleton was shot outside of her San Bernardino County store, Mag.Pi.
  • Authorities say the act of violence was over a Pride flag hanging in her shop.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The owner of Cedar Glen, California, clothing and gifts store Mag.Pi, Laura Ann Carleton, was shot outside her shop on Friday and pronounced dead at the scene.

The shooting occurred around 5 p.m. after the gunman confronted her about a Pride flag hanging in the window of her business, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office, per ABC News.

The suspect, who has not yet been publically identified, fled the scene but was later fatally shot during a confrontation with police.

"This senseless act of hate and violence is unthinkable," San Bernardino County Supervisor Dawn Rowe said in a statement. "This senseless act of hate and violence is unthinkable."

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Carleton was 66 years old. She was married to her husband for 28 years and was a mother to nine children, according to the store's website.

Prior to owning her own store, Carleton worked at Kenneth Cole Productions for 15 years.

Cole paid tribute to Carleton on X, calling her a "long-time KCP assoc and friend."

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Carleton's daughter Ari spoke with The New York Times on Sunday, telling the outlet, "I just want the world to remember her for who she was." Adding, "And that she passed away in a place that she cherished, doing what she loved and defending something that was so important to her."

Sam Silverman

Content Strategy Editor

Sam Silverman is a content strategy editor at Entrepreneur Media. She specializes in search engine optimization (SEO), and her work can be found in The US Sun, Nicki Swift, In Touch Weekly, Life & Style and Health. She writes for our news team with a focus on investigating scandals. Her coverage and expertise span from business news, entrepreneurship, technology, and true crime, to the latest in entertainment and TV news. Sam is a graduate of Lehigh University and currently resides in NYC. 

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