Jamie Lee Curtis Speaks Out After Mom of 9, Shop Owner Killed Over Pride Flag
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Jamie Lee Curtis is raising awareness surrounding the tragic death of Laura Ann Carleton, the store owner and mother of nine, who was shot and killed at her clothing store on Friday after a dispute over a pride flag hanging outside her shop.
"My hand in yours @alokvmenon," Curtis began in the caption of Monday's Instagram post, a repost from the creator she tagged that included a screenshot of the growing memorial featured in The New York Times' coverage of the story, as well as a photo of Carleton, the 66-year-old owner of Mag.Pi clothing store in Cedar Glen, California.
"I feel deeply saddened by this," the caption went on. "This is our country now and we can’t look away. Rest in peace Laura Ann Carleton, a mother of nine. Thank you for your allyship. Thank you for your love. I’ll never forget you 💔🕊️."
Curtis–who has been a longstanding ally of the LGBTQ+ community and frequently uses her platform to vocalize support, especially when it comes to her daughter, Ruby, who came out as transgender in 2020–also highlighted a quote from Carleton's 28-year-old daughter, Ari: "I just want the world to remember her for who she was. And that she passed away in a place that she cherished, doing what she loved and defending something that was so important to her."
The Aug. 21 upload quickly gained traction online, with many taking to the comments to add to the conversation. "This is horrific," wrote director and internet personality Chanel Williams. "This senseless hate needs to stop! This is so sad," another Instagram user shared.
Along with Curtis, writer and director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, The School for Good and Evil, Freaks and Geeks) also mourned the loss of Carleton in a tribute posted to the picture-sharing platform on Sunday.
"Our wonderful friend Lauri Carlton (seen in this picture) was murdered yesterday in her store @magpi_shop in Lake Arrowhead by a 27 year old man who didn’t like that she had a large pride flag hanging outside of her shop," he wrote alongside a sweet photo of himself and Carleton enjoying drinks with a view. "He ripped it down and when she confronted him about it he shot and killed her. We are all devastated for her husband Bort and her family and the LGBTQ+ community, for whom Lauri was such a true ally."
Sophia Bush, Allison Janney and Charlize Theron later commented on Feig's post, calling the incident "heartbreaking."
Feig also shared a separate statement to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, writing, "Lauri Carleton was my friend. She was a wonderful person who did so much for the LGBTQ+ community as well as the community at large. What happened to her is an absolute tragedy. If people don’t think anti-gay & trans rhetoric isn’t dangerous, think again."
According to a statement made by local law enforcement, the suspect made several disparaging remarks about a rainbow flag that stood outside the store before shooting Carleton. The man, whose identity has not yet been released, fled the scene on foot. Deputies found him with a handgun, and he was killed in an encounter with law enforcement, per the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
Carleton is survived by her husband and nine children.
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