Shooter had history of posting hateful content online, sheriff says, and shot Laura Ann Carleton with gun not registered to him
Ikeguchi, who lived in Cedar Glen, had a history of posting hateful content online, the sheriff said, adding that his family had reported him missing the day prior. He shot Carleton with a semi-automatic handgun, which was not registered to him, and he did not have a concealed carry license, according to Dicus.
The shooting has sparked national outrage and comes at a time of rising reports of anti-LGBTQ+ violence across the US. Carleton’s family and friends have said she was a fierce ally to LGBTQ+ people and had previously faced backlash for displaying a rainbow flag, but refused to take it down.
“She was murdered over a Pride flag that she proudly hung on her storefront,” two of her daughters, Ari and Kelsey Carleton said in a statement on Instagram. “Make no mistake, this was a hate crime. Her flags had been torn down before and she always responded by putting up a bigger one. Our family is broken.