San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus. (Screenshot/YouTube KABC 7 News)
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. | San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus held a press conference Aug. 21 to brief the public on the updates to the investigation into the murder of beloved Cedar Glen shop owner Laura Ann Carleton on Aug. 18.
The suspect was identified as local resident, 27-year-old Travis Ikeguchi, who had shot and killed Carleton after she confronted him in front of her store over his removal of an LGBTQ+ Pride Flag. The two exchanged words and after yelling homophobic epithets he shot her then fled on foot.
He was followed by several witnesses who reported his location to sheriff’s dispatchers.
Sheriff Dicus told reporters that deputies from the Twin Peaks substation confronted Ikeguchi near Torrey Road and Rause Rancho Road east of Highway 173, about a mile from the homicide scene at the Mag.Pi clothing boutique at 28938 Hook Creek Road in Cedar Glen.
As deputies attempted to engage the suspect, he refused to drop his weapon and opened fire on them, striking multiple squad cars. The Sheriff said the deputies returned fire striking Ikeguchi, who died at the scene. Dicus noted that none of his personnel were hurt or injured.
The Sheriff noted that the handgun found on Ikeguchi was believed to be the same weapon used to murder Carleton adding that semiautomatic pistol was not registered to him, and he did not have a license to carry a concealed weapon.
Dicus also said during the media briefing that Ikeguchi’s family had reported him missing the day previous to the shooting.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s investigators said that Ikeguchi frequently posted hate-filled content on social media. News media outlets including the Blade were able to locate X (formerly known as Twitter) and GAB accounts matching his name.
His social media posts were filled with Christian Nationalist hate-filled themes and retweets often targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Both accounts were still active Aug. 21 evening.
Sheriff Dicus said that the investigation is actively ongoing and that the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office will investigate the shooting of Ikeguchi, as is standard practice with all lethal force encounters involving law enforcement agencies.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Homicide Detail at 909-890-4904.
Callers wishing to remain anonymous should contact the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or got to www.wetip.com.
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