Daughter of Store Owner Killed Over Pride Flag Dispute Says Mom Was ‘an Incredible Person’ Who Helped Others

Laura Ann Carleton.Photo:Mountain Provisions Cooperative/ Instagram

Mountain Provisions Cooperative/ Instagram

Arielle said her mother “wasn’t afraid to stand up to anybody.”“She was fearless and she was confident,” Laura’s daughter added.

On Friday around 5 p.m. local time, deputies from the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station responded to a report of an individual who was shot at the Mag Pi clothing store in Cedar Glen, Calif., the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in arelease.

After authorities arrived at the shop, they found Laura suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Arielle said it was “hard and emotional” for the family to come home and find a new flag waiting for her mother in the mail – an immediate reminder of her murder.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The Carleton family is alsoraising moneyin Laura’s honor to aid the local LGBTQ+ community.

One of the most important messages Arielle said her family received was from a friend she and her twin sister knew growing up.“She messaged us this morning to let us know that she had driven past my mom’s store a couple of weeks ago and seen the pride flag and that gave her the courage and the push to go home and come out to her family,” Arielle said, tearing up. “And that really resonated with us. I know that’s really all that my mom wanted was for everybody here to feel safe and loved and accepted for who they were.”

source: people.com