List of All Articles with Tag 'world'

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a leaders’ dinner hosted by his South African counterpart on Tuesday after skipping

Race car driver Ashlea Albertson was on track to compete at a championship event in Indiana on Saturday. A few months later, she would make her way down the aisle at her wedding. But instead, the 24-year-old’s life was cut short on Friday morning in an apparent road rage crash away from the track. Albertson, who drove for the Tony Stewart Racing team, was a passenger in a 2018 GMC Terrain that crashed at around 11.30am on I-65 in Jackson County just south of Seymour, Indiana. The SUV, which was being driven by her fiancé Jake Kelly, 31, crashed after a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu pulled up in the right lane and both vehicles began accelerating, each refusing to let the other pass, according to the Indiana State Police. The two vehicles collided, causing the SUV to flip over, ejecting Albertson. She was flown to the University of Louisville Hospital where she died from her injuries. The next day, the rising star’s No 4 race car sat empty at the All Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets event in Shelbyville, Indiana, but was surrounded by flowers and messages left by her loved ones and fans. It was her family’s wish for the race to go on as planned at the Shelby County Fairgrounds, with her father Todd Albertson telling the local Indianapolis station WTHR, “We have to do better.” “She lost her life not on a race track, where we thought she might, but in the middle of a highway because we can’t control our anger,” Mr Albertson said. Famed race car driver Tony Stewart, who is now semi-retired, described Albertson as having an “infectious personality” and the ability to “light up a room.” “She was a great race car driver that was involved in a road rage accident and lost her life,” Stewart wrote in a social media post. “In the past, I’ve also gotten caught up in road rage. I hope that we can honor Ashlea by controlling what we can control on the highway. Losing her is a sobering reminder of how precious life is.” Loved ones said Albertson was “fearless on and off the race track” and that she was “exceptional in a male-dominated sport.” Albertson, who was fourth in the All Star Circuit of Champions standings out of 39 listed drivers going into last weekend’s race, would have been the only female driver on the track that night, her coach Ron Combs said. Mr Combs, who is also an All Star Circuit of Champions official, told local news that her car won’t be raced any more this year, but added that he hopes to see another woman with her dream get behind the wheel someday. “I’m going to think about Ashlea every time I think I’m going to have road rage,” Mr Combs added. “Ashlea will be in the back of my head. Stop, slow down, and do what’s right.” A spokesman for the Indiana State Police told The Washington Post he would “hesitate” to use the phrase “road rage,” then added that “the evidence indicates that both drivers involved in the incident displayed some aggressive driving that appeared to contribute to the crash.” Video recorded by an occupant in another vehicle showed that Mr Kelly, the driver of the SUV, and the driver of the Malibu, 22-year-old Austin Cooper, began accelerating rapidly and refused to allow the other pass on the two-lane road, state police said. The Malibu suddenly changed lanes right into the SUV’s path and the two vehicles collided, causing it to crash. Both drivers submitted to blood tests and toxicology results are pending, state police said. Albertson was to be married to Jake Kelly in March, according to her obituary. “The wedding dress was purchased and their children’s names had been chosen,” it stated. “The impact Ashlea made on those she came in contact with was strong and deep.” Albertson had been a competitive race car driver since 2011 and landed the All-Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midget series in 2017. She had several feature wins and many podium finishes, while driving for Tony Stewart Racing. “The race track was clearly her favorite place to be,” the obit stated. Following her passing, Albertson’s father posted an emotional video on Facebook. “This is one of the hardest posts that I could possibly make, but I have no words to put it out other than making a video to share with everybody who loved her and that she loved in return,” he said tearfully. “I want to thank you from my family, from myself, for making her feel like she was the best racer out there each and every time that she took the track. “We appreciate you. We love you. I’m sorry to inform you this way, but it’s only fair that everybody knows and there be no speculation moving forward. “She was a good kid, a better person. She just loved racing, she loved the community and you all have done so much for her. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Please keep my family, her fiancé, and everybody that is going through this time in your thoughts and prayers. “Those of you who go to the track this weekend and enjoy racing, please know that’s all she ever wanted to do was put on a show … and be loved and respected by each and everyone of you that followed her. … Enjoy life and every moment that it is. It’s precious. We never know when our time is.” A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Sunday at New Palestine United Methodist Church, in New Palestine, Indiana. Attendees are encouraged to wear racing shirts and cheery clothing, as Alberston would prefer, according to her obit. Read More Tony Stewart Racing driver, 24, killed in ‘road rage’ incident on Indiana highway An Ohio school bus overturns after crash with minivan, leaving 1 child dead and 23 injured A teenager killed her boyfriend and his friend in a ‘hell on wheels’ crash. She will serve 15 years to life

A California woman who was shot and abducted from her boyfriend’s car in a park near Los Angeles has been found dead, police have confirmed. The body of 19-year-old Andrea Vasquez, 19, was discovered in an open field in Moreno Valley, not far from where her family say her phone last pinged. Whitter Police Department say that they have arrested 20-year-old Gabriel Esparza as the main suspect in the case and charged him with murder and kidnapping.

A North Carolina man who brought two pipe bomb-like devices to a church earlier this year avoided jail time, after family and community members wrote letters en masse to a local court asking for leniency. Joshua Wayne Hawyley, 37, of Connelly Springs, pleaded guilty earlier this month in Catawba County Superior Court to three counts of possession of a weapon of mass destruction. The father was sentenced to three years of supervised probation, a mental evaluation, and barred from possessing firearms and explosives, as well as prevented from contacting the church where he brought explosive devices earlier this year. “Joshua is a good, caring man and deserves better than this,” his wife Savanah Hawley wrote in a letter to the court, the Hickory Record reported. “His children need him, and he needs his children. Please don’t let him go away for 2.5 years. Jail isn’t the punishment he deserves. He deserves a good doctor and medication.” “(Joshua Hawley) often fixates on various things, due to his mental status,” local resident Jackie Miller added in a letter of her own. “And at that time he was fixated on making smoke bombs — something he apparently did in his youth.” The 37-year-old was arrested in May for bringing multiple pipe bombs to Marketplace Church in Mountain View. The pastor of the church told police Hawley had mental issues and showed up to the church in a “manic state,” telling an employee he brought something for the church and asked security guards where the pastor’s vehicle was, warning the employee the pastor should be careful so the bomb didn’t “blow up in his face,” according to the Morganton News Herald. No one was injured in the incident. “I think in a house of worship people should feel safe and not feel intimidated,” Catawba County Sheriff Don Brown said at the time of the arrest. Four months before the pipe bomb incident, Hawyley had been asked to stop attending the church, after members grew uncomfortable with his behaviour, which included showing up to the facility in military-style attire, wearing a body camera and open-carrying guns and knives. Hawley did not have a formal mental health diagnosis at the time, though family members said in letters to the court they believe he suffers from mental illness including bipolar disorder and border schizophrenia. Read More Marjorie Taylor Greene addresses online conspiracy theory linking her to Jan 6 pipe bomber Convicted Colorado pipe bomber will get new trial 30 years later Hoax bomb threats target major US retailers including Walmart and Whole Foods demanding bitcoin and gift cards

The daughter of slain California businesswoman Laura “Lauri” Ann Carleton says the man who shot and killed her mother is “irrelevant”. Officials named 27-year-old California man Travis Ikeguchi as the suspect who shot and killed Carleton after making homophobic remarks about a Pride flag hanging outside her Mag.Pi fashion store in Cedar Glen on Friday. Ikeguchi, who was later shot and killed by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies, had made bigoted comments criticising the LGBT+ community and law enforcement on X, formerly known as Twitter, and the far-right platform Gab. In a statement to NBC News, Ari Carleton said the family “doesn’t care” about the suspect. “We will continue to steer the narrative away from him and towards my mother and honouring her. He is irrelevant,” Ms Carelton said. “The media must stop glorifying these individuals by giving them this platform.” San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the homicide as a potential hate crime. Carleton’s senseless murder has since led to an outpouring of grief and anger from her children and family members, Hollywood stars and the LGBT+ community members who have warned that her killing is a marker of the anti-LGBT+ hate currently being spread across the US. Read More A California man spewed anti-LGBT+ hate online. Then he murdered a mom-of-nine over a Pride flag A mother and businesswoman whose LGBTQ advocacy cost her her life: Who was Laura Ann Carleton? When people ripped her store’s Pride flag, Laura Carleton hung up another. This time it ended with her murder A murder over a Pride flag is sadly no surprise to anyone paying attention

A Black Missippi FedEx driver who was chased and shot at by two white men while delivering packages has lost his job at the carrier, according to his attorney. D’Monterrio Gibson, 25, was delivering parcels in the city of Brookhaven last January, when father and son Gregory and Brandon Case blocked his delivery van with a pickup truck and began shooting at him as he drove away, according to prosecutors. Mr Gibson, who said the incident left him with anxiety, trouble sleeping, and caused him to seek therapy, lost his job at the end of the this July, after refusing to accept a part-time, non-courier position at the company, according to an email from FedEx shared with The Associated Press. “I honestly feel disrespected,” he told the AP. “They can’t tell me when I should be ready to come back.” The company had been voluntarily paying for his therapy while he was away from the job on worker’s compensation leave, CNN reports. Mr Gibson plans to file a state lawsuit against FedEx, after his $5m federal lawsuit against the delivery giant accusing them of racism was dismissed in August, with the court finding the Mississippi man hadn’t proven he was discriminated against because of his race. “FedEx has shown its true colors,” Mr Gibson’s attorney, Carlos Moore, told the network. “It has never cared about my client’s Black life. How could any employer be so insensitive and tone deaf and fire a dedicated employee after he almost lost his life working for the company?” The Independent has contacted FedEx for comment. Gregory and Brandon Case were charged by local officials with attempted murder. Last week, the case against them was declared a mistrial, after a police detective testified to not sharing a copy of a video interview with Mr Gibson after the shooting with either the prosecution or the defence. The men, who say they were responding to an unknown van parked outside of a family member’s house on a public road, remain out on bond. Mr Gibson was wearing his FedEx uniform when making the delivery that preceded the shooting on 24 January, 2022, driving a rental van with the Hertz logo on multiple sides, according to court documents. As he went to leave the area, Gregory Case allegedly blocked the driver in with his pickup truck, causing Mr Gibson to dry around the truck and leave the area. His van was struck with three rounds. “They came out of nowhere,” Gibson said at a news conference last year. “Even if [the van] was unmarked, civilians still can’t take the law into their own hands.” “I’m thinking this is a racism thing,” he said. His attorney alleged that the Cases were seeking to emulate the Ahmaud Arbery incident, where a group of white men in Georgia pursued a Black jogger in 2020 in their pickup trucks then murdered him. “It was clearly a copycat crime,” Mr Moore said during the 2022 news conference. “These people tried to be copycats, and that’s why we need full justice, not Mississippi justice. This man went to work, and they attacked him like he was a wild animal.” Read More Mississippi grand jury cites shoddy investigations by police department at center of mistrial Mississippi judge declares mistrial for two white men charged with shooting at Black FedEx worker Confrontation with 2 white men left Black FedEx driver traumatized, mom says outside their trial

Ukrainian saboteurs coordinated by Kyiv’s military intelligence services are said to have carried out drone attacks on airfields deep inside Russia – one of which appears to have destroyed a supersonic Russian bomber. It is one of a number of recent assaults on Russia and its military hardware, as well as drone attacks on Moscow. The latest such attack on the capital came overnight into Tuesday. Responding to the attack on the Russian airfields, British military intelligence said that the weekend attack is highly likely to have destroyed a nuclear-capable Tu-22M3 supersonic long-range bomber. Kyiv says Russia has used the Tu-22M3 to bomb targets across Ukraine with conventional munitions. Western military experts believe Russia has around 60 of the aircrafts. The destruction of the plane, which can be fitted with conventional or nuclear warheads, underscores the vulnerability to drone attacks of Russia’s fleet of ageing but lethal long-range bombers that are a major part of Moscow’s war effort. Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC showed what appeared to be 10 long-range bombers parked on the apron of the Soltsy air base, about 400 miles from the border with Ukraine, on Wednesday 16 August. By Monday, two days after the attack, all those bombers had left the air base. A large black spot was visible on one of the aprons where one of the bombers had been parked. The attack appeared to prompt Russia to relocate other planes of the same type from the airfield to alternative bases further from Ukraine. Russia's Defence Ministry said the attack on Saturday on one of its military airfields in the Novgorod region had been carried out by a Ukrainian drone and that one plane had been damaged. It gave no more details. In a daily update on Ukraine, British military intelligence said “a Tu-22M3 BACKFIRE medium bomber of Russia’s Long Range Aviation (LRA) was highly likely destroyed at Soltsy-2 Airbase in Novgorod Oblast, 650km (403 miles) away from Ukraine’s border”. “This is at least the third successful attack on LRA airfields, again raising questions about Russia’s ability to protect strategic locations deep inside the country,” it said. Ukraine rarely claims such attacks, even if officials are not against pointing them out, but the Ukrainska Pravda newspaper and Ukraine's NV news outlet reported groups of saboteurs were behind the strikes. They attributed two attacks to the saboteurs: the one on Soltsy air base and one on Monday against the Shaikovka air base in the southwestern Kaluga region that is about 180 miles (300km) northeast of the Ukrainian border. Russia's Defense Ministry didn't comment on the reported attack on Shaikovka, but Russian media did. Ukraine has repeatedly sought to take the war into the heart of Russia this year via drone attacks. It has increasingly targeted Moscow’s military assets behind the front lines in eastern and southern Ukraine. Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov told the Ukrainian LIGA.net news outlet on Monday that at least one Russian warplane was damaged in the attack on Shaikovka. He said it was carried out by people who worked in close coordination with Ukrainian military intelligence but gave no further details. As for the drone attacks on Moscow – which have increased in recent weeks – Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed a number were shot out of the sky on Tuesday, but falling wreckage of one drone shattered an apartment building’s windows and damaged vehicles in Moscow’s western suburbs. Flights at several Moscow airports were temporarily suspended Tuesday as a security precaution amid the attacks, authorities said. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s deputy defence minister, Hanna Maliar, said that the country’s forces have made progress in its counteroffensive to retake land occupied by Russia during the invasion ordered by President Vladimir Putin – and so proving Kyiv can push back a better-armed and numerically superior enemy. Ukrainian troops have faced vast Russian minefields and trenches in the counteroffensive launched in early June, But Ms Maliar brushed aside any suggestion that Kyiv’s progress was too slow. “It's incorrect to measure this advance by metres or kilometres,” Ms Maliar told Reuters. “What’s important is the very fact that despite everything, we’re moving forward even though we have fewer people and fewer weapons.” Ms Maliar highlighted the situation in eastern Ukraine, where she said Russian forces – who also enjoy air superiority – can fire 400,000-500,000 artillery shells each week or around 10 times more than Ukraine. Earlier on Tuesday, she said Ukrainian troops had gained a foothold in the southeastern village of Robotyne on the road to Tokmak, an occupied rail hub whose recapture would be a milestone in Kyiv’s southward drive to reach the Sea of Azov. The next major settlement is the big regional city of Melitopol. Germany’s foreign minister said on Tuesday Ukraine needed more help penetrating Russian minefields and that Berlin was discussing with its partners how to fulfil Kyiv’s requests for more equipment. Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary Biden to attend next month's G-20 summit in New Delhi, while Harris will head to Jakarta for ASEAN Poland's leader says Russia's moving tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, shifting regional security Iran unveils armed drone resembling America's MQ-9 Reaper and says it could potentially reach Israel

Ukraine has broken the "stalemate" on the frontline and is making progress in its counteroffensive against Russia, a senior Kyiv official claimed. The embattled nation began its long-awaited counteroffensive in June this year against the Russian invaders. But progress has been slower than anticipated as Ukrainian forces try and take heavily fortified Russian positions, surrounded by landmines. Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar brushed aside any suggestion that Kyiv's progress was too slow and said Ukraine had military doctrine by attacking an enemy that has a numerical advantage in manpower and weaponry. Ms Mailar said: "It's incorrect to measure this advance by metres or kilometres. "What's important is the very fact that despite everything, we're moving forward even though we have fewer people and fewer weapons." Her claims were also backed up by the US as White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan told a briefing on Tuesday: "We have been clear all along that this battlefield is very dynamic."We are seeing it (Ukraine) continue to take territory on a methodical, systematic basis." Read More Putin was meant to be at a summit in South Africa this week. Why was he asked to stay away? Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said to be recruiting Wagner 'strongmen' for Africa On the ground in Ukraine, the desperate fight to protect a key city from 100,000 of ‘Putin’s thugs’

On Friday, 18 August, police were alerted to a report of a person being shot at a clothing store. Officers identified the victim as the store’s owner, Laura Ann Carleton, who had suffered a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials said there had been an altercation at her store over an LGBTQ Pride flag that she was displaying. The suspect, now identified as 27-year-old Travis Ikeguchi, had made “several disparaging remarks” about the flag before shooting her, police said. Ikeguchi fled the scene after shooting Carleton, but was found by sheriff's deputies several miles away and was fatally shot in a confrontation. Authorities later revealed that Ikeguchi had posted a series of homophobic comments on social media. The attack has sparked outrage across the community and social media. Carleton was a mother, business owner, fashion enthusiast – and a passionate LGBTQ+ advocate. Who was Laura Ann Carleton? Carleton, known as “Lauri” was 66 years old and was the owner of a clothing store called Mag.Pi, located in Cedar Glen, near San Bernadino in Southern California. According to the official Mag.Pi store website, her love for fashion was sparked during her teenage years. She started her career working in the family business at Fred Segal Feet in Los Angeles while attending the Art Center School of Design. She then made her way to Joseph Magnin Century City and began running the “top fashion” show floor. Progressing in her fashion career, Carleton joined Kenneth Cole and remained there for over 15 years, where she worked with factory and design teams in Italy and Spain. The designer travelled with her husband Bort across the US, Europe and South America, which fuelled her love for design, fashion, food, fine art and architecture. Carleton said Mag.Pi,strives to tackle “everyday life with grace and ease and continuing to dream.” The couple lived in Studio City, Los Angeles, and also own a 1920s fisherman’s cabin on Lake Arrowhead. Her website sayd: “With a penchant for longevity, Laura has been married to the same man Bort for 28 years. She is an amazing mother of a family of nine children, the youngest being identical twin girls.” What have people said about her? Hollywood director Paul Feig – whose movies include Bridesmaids and The Heat – led tributes to the mother-of-nine, remembering the much loved “true ally”. Under a picture of the two of them together, Feig wrote: “We are all devastated for her husband Bort and her family and the LGBTQ+ community, for whom Lauri was such a true ally. Her alleged murderer was later shot and killed by the San Bernardino police and so no longer poses a threat to the community. But this intolerance has to end. “Anyone using hateful language against the LGBTQ+ community has to realize their words matter, that their words can inspire violence against innocent loving people. Let’s all keep moving forward with tolerance and love. Let’s not let Lauri’s tragic death be in vain.” A charity organisation, Lake Arrowhead LGBTQ+, said in a statement that Carleton was an ally for the community. It said: “Lauri did not identify as LGBTQ+ but spent her time helping & advocating for everyone in the community. She will be truly missed. From what we understand the suspect is no longer a threat.” Carleton’s daughter, Ari, put out a heartbreaking message in homage to her “fearless, cool and compassionate” mother. The post was coupled with several photos of Carleton with her loved ones, with the caption: “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. “We have a long road ahead of us as we navigate this new reality without our loving matriarch. We find peace in knowing she passed quickly in a place she cherished, doing what she loved while fiercely defending something she believed in. She was fearless, cool and compassionate – always putting others first.” The post continued: “We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support that our family has received from loved ones and strangers alike, it has provided hope and light in our darkest days. We will continue to advocate for love, equality and acceptance in everything that we do. Love will always triumph hate.” “I feel deeply saddened by this,” actor Jamie Lee Curtis said on Instagram. “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.” Goodwill Ambassador for the UNHCR and Sex and The City star Kristin Davis said Carleton’s murder is a “hate crime” and added: “I cannot comprehend what has happened and I can only imagine what her family and close friends are going through. We cannot rest in our work towards love and understanding and equality for every person. It is abundantly clear that divisive senseless hate is the only motive for this hate crime. “Lauri was a strong ally, when her Pride flags were stolen she quickly replaced them. To think that she was murdered for her support of our LQBTQ+ family tears my heart into pieces. I want Lauri to be known as the HERO she was and is. I want her family to know we are thinking of them and for everyone to know that we must continue to stand up for what is right! #lovewins.” Tributes from the community Comments from members of the community also began to pour in after daughter Ari made the post about her mother, sharing her pain and grief with the world. One person wrote: “My husband and I met your mom 3 weeks ago as we stumbled into her store. She was kind, and generous and such a force. She spoke so highly of her two girls and told us about all the times she drove you up to lake arrowhead during HS to make memories with you. She made us feel like we were family in a 30 min conversation. I am so sorry for what has happened. She was an angel on earth and now a real one.” Another said: “I am so grateful for angels like your mother who so selfless took care of others. As a gay man my heart goes out to you and your family even more so that she has been such a fearless warrior for my own personal acceptance in this world. I truly love you and your family. My heart is hurting, but I will take the advice I just got from her well-spoken, beautiful, brave daughter. That is to stay focused on positivity and love and to honor her legacy.” Read More Laura Carleton shooting – latest: Travis Ikeguchi’s anti-LGBT+ online history revealed after Pride flag murder A California man spewed anti-LGBT+ hate online. Then he murdered a mom-of-nine over a Pride flag A murder over a Pride flag is sadly no surprise to anyone paying attention

Before an Ohio teenager Mackenzie Shirilla was found guilty on multiple counts of murder for the “hell on wheels” crash that killed her boyfriend and friend in 2022, her mother pleaded before a judge for “leniency.” The 19-year-old was charged for a deliberate 100mph car wreck that left her boyfriend Dominic Russo, 20, and Davion Flanagan, 19, dead. Shirilla’s mother, Natalie Shirilla, pleaded before her daughter was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. Addressing the families, she said, “I’m broken, sad and lost and my heart hurts for everyone. Davion was her new friend and Dom was the love of her life and he was part of our family.” The 19-year-old could be seen crying in the background as her mother spoke. To Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Nancy Margaret Russo, the mother said, “This was a terrible, tragic, nightmare accident,” adding that her daughter “has no memory of the accident.” “She will never emotionally or physically recover from it. She almost died too,” Ms Shirilla said as she asked the judge for nonconsecutive sentences. Ms Shirilla began crying when she recounted the events of the day, saying that she got a phone call saying there had been an accident but didn’t know who was in the car; she called Shirilla’s boyfriend multiple times but got no response. Ms Shirilla then called Dominic’s mother, who also didn’t pick up, making Ms Shirilla nervous that she was also in the car. “My son is dead,” Dominic’s mother told Ms Shirilla, she recalled. “We loved him so much,” Ms Shirilla repeatedly said about Dominic. She then discussed that after the accident, people online were calling Shirilla a murderer and “making death threats”. She made calls to try to take down the comments, since her daughter’s phone was in the custody of police: “She would never ever ever murder the love of her life.” “For three months after the accident, she would only wear his clothes. She would only eat the snacks he ate. She would only listen to the music he wrote,” Ms Shirilla said, talking about how she laid in her bed for three months with a “shrine” of Dominic next to her. Ms Shirilla said she and her husband encouraged their daughter to experience a “second of fun” when Halloween came around after “losing her whole world.” She went to a concert with Dominc’s cousin and others. “I’m hearing an awful lot about your daughter. I’m not hearing very much about the two dead people,” Judge Russo said when Ms Shirilla paused. “I’m asking you for leniency because this was a tragic accident that she does not remember,” Ms Shirilla pleaded, with her hands in a prayer position. “Davion – he’s a new friend…” Ms Shirilla started saying before the judge interjected: “What does that mean? That his life is worthless?” “God no,” Shirilla’s mother protested. “They all spent every day together.” “But isn’t that part of the problem, Ms Shirilla?” the judge asked, continuing: “That they all trusted each other? It’s a problem how they all ended up in a car together and two of them ended up dead.” “I understand what it looks like. I’m saying that it’s a tragic accident – she would never,” Ms Shirilla said. The judge replied, “We’re going to have to disagree on that.” Judge Russo held the trial without a jury, explaining: “She had a mission, and she executed it with precision. The decision was death.” She added, “Her actions were controlled, methodical, deliberate, intentional and purposeful. This was not reckless driving. This was murder.” The court was told that the crash took place at around 5.30am on 31 July 2022 at a building in a business park. Investigators said that Shirilla drove her car down a three-quarter mile road until it hit a speed of 100mph. Data from the car’s computer and surveillance video showed that the steering wheel jerked to the right and then left before the vehicle left the road and crashed into the business. After a passerby reported the wreck roughly 45 minutes later, police arrived to find Russo and Flanagan dead, and Shrilla trapped in the driver’s seat with a fuzzy Prada slipper stuck to the accelerator. The judge told the court that the final seconds of the incident proved that Shirilla acted with purpose. “She morphs from responsible driver to literal hell on wheels,” she said. The 19-year-old will be eligible for parole in 15 years. Read More Teenage girl sobs as she’s sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for ‘hell on wheels’ deadly car crash Chicago woman arrested for threatening to kill Trump and his son Barron Man dead after being hit by Tube train following police chase

Travis Ikeguchi had been spewing anti-LGBT+ content on social media for quite some time. Behind his keyboard, the 27-year-old California man was posting images of burning Pride flags and lashing out at the LGBT+ community as well as law enforcement. Then, he came out from behind his online persona and murdered a mother-of-nine fashion entrepreneur over the Pride flag she had dared to hang outside her own store, according to authorities. On Friday, Ikeguchi went to the Mag.Pi store on Hook Creek Road owned by Laura “Lauri” Ann Carleton, according to police in San Bernardino. He confronted her about the rainbow flag, tearing it down while screaming homophobic slurs at her. Then he pulled out a gun, shooting the 66-year-old. Officers arrived on the scene to find Carleton suffering a single gunshot wound before she died in the street. By this time, Ikeguchi had fled the scene before he was tracked down by police. A standoff ensued and he opened fire on the officers before he was shot and killed by law enforcement. Carleton’s senseless murder has since led to an outpouring of grief and anger from her children and family members, Hollywood stars and the LGBT+ community members who have warned that her killing is a marker of the anti-LGBT+ hate currently being spread across the US. Now, officials have confirmed the killer’s history of anti-LGBT+ comments on social media. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said that Ikeguchi – from Cedar Glen, California – had made many posts online that were critical of the LGBT+ community and law enforcement. Public information officer Mara Rodriguez said that the posts were made on multiple different social media platforms, including X, formerly known as Twitter, and the far-right platform Gab. “The content of Ikeguchi’s social media posts contained posts critical to the LGBTQIA community,” said the officer. Accounts on X and Gab under Ikeguchi’s name, reviewed by The Independent, appear to match the hateful posts referred to by authorities. In one post, dated 13 June and pinned to the top of the X account, Ikeguchi appeared to post an image of a burning rainbow flag. “What to do with the LGBTQP flag?” the chilling post was captioned. In another post on 28 June, the user took aim at same-sex marriage and abortion. “Abortion and same-sex marriage are both immoral and are design to destroy humanity one by one,” the tweet read. “So if someone is pro-abortion and pro-LGBTQP, they are at war against the foundation of family values. –Travis Ikeguchi 6/23/2023 6:39am.” In a post the same day, he revealed a deep-rooted paranoia for law enforcement. “Do not follow their traps they want to know everything about you to catch you and used against you in court and lie about you. Watch out their sociopathic schemes,” the post read. Over on Gab – the site popular with extreme right-wing figures – the account believed to belong to Ikeguchi regularly shared anti-LGBT+ and anti-law enforcement rhetoric. One harrowing post shared on Friday – the day of Carleton’s murder – read: “America must repent for a lot of things we allow; abortion/baby killing, sexual immortality, pornography, same-sex marriages, LGBTQP/pedophilia, freemasonry, religiosity, politics, wars, colonialism, the federal reserve.” The anti-LGBT+ content went back as far as two years, with a 2021 post reading: “We need to STOP COMPROMISING on this LGBT dictatorship and not let them take over our lives!” In another violent post also from 2021, the user spoke of killing police officers. “I know it’s controversial for me to mention the option to kill a police officer, but these police officers are not the servants for the people they are the servants for the laws,” the post read. The Independent has reached out to San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department for comment on the accounts. A sheriff’s spokesperson told NBC News that Carleton’s murder is now being investigated as a hate crime. The Californian community has been left reeling from the mother-of-nine’s murder, which comes at a time of increased anti-LGBT+ right-wing rhetoric. Friends have said that Carleton had been faced with people ripping down the Pride flag hanging outside her Cedar Glen clothing store ever since she opened the store two years ago. But, the well-known LGBT+ ally refused to be undeterred, and would simply get a new flag and hang it right back up. Never did anyone expect that her bravery in the face of hate would end with her brutal murder. Her daughters Ari and Kelsey released a statement on Instagram saying that their mother, who was married to husband Bort for 28 years, was “murdered over a pride flag that she proudly hung on her storefront”. They remembered her as a “fearless, cool and compassionate” human being. “Make no mistake, this was a hate crime,” they wrote. “We find peace in knowing she passed quickly in a place she cherished, doing what she loved while fiercely defending something she believed in. She was fearless, cool and compassionate – always putting others first,” the post read. “We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support that our family has received from loved ones and strangers alike, it has provided hope and light in our darkest days. We will continue to advocate for love, equality and acceptance in everything that we do. Love will always triumph over hate.” Many other friends and Hollywood celebs echoed their sentiments. Hollywood Director Paul Feig, whose works include Bridesmaids and The Heat, posted a tribute on Sunday in memory of his very close “wonderful friend”. “We are all devastated for her husband Bort and her family and the LGBTQ+ community, for whom Lauri was such a true ally,” he wrote. “This intolerance has to end. Anyone using hateful language against the LGBTQ+ community has to realize their words matter, that their words can inspire violence against innocent loving people. “Let’s all keep moving forward with tolerance and love. Let’s not let Lauri’s tragic death be in vain.” Sex and the City actress Kristin Davis, Star Trek actor George Takei and Jamie Lee Curtis also echoed these words. Meanwhile, outside the store where she was killed, loved ones, allies and community members showed their own defiance in the face of hate. As well as flowers, cards and photos of the popular store owner and mother-of-nine, multiple rainbow flags are now proudly on display. Read More Laura Carleton shooting – latest: Travis Ikeguchi named as gunman who killed mother-of-nine over Pride flag A murder over a Pride flag is sadly no surprise to anyone paying attention When people ripped her store’s Pride flag, Laura Carleton hung up another. This time it ended with her murder

When people first ripped down the Pride flag hanging outside her Cedar Glen clothing store, Laura Ann Carleton simply got another and hung it straight back up. Friends say this happened multiple times in the two years since she opened the California store as a second outpost to her first location in Studio City. And, throughout it all, the 66-year-old mother-of-nine remained defiant as a prominent ally to the LGBT+ community. This weekend, it happened once again. Except this time, the flag removal ended with her murder – with the perpetrator shooting her in cold blood in the street. On Friday, police said that the gunman began complaining about the Pride flag hanging outside of the store on Hook Creek Road. He then pulled out a gun, fatally shooting Carleton. The killer, who was named by authorities as Travis Ikeguchi, 27, then fled the scene before being tracked down and killed in an encounter with law enforcement. Hollywood stars and LGBT+ community members are now speaking out about Carleton’s horrific murder, condemning the senseless killing and paying tribute to the 66-year-old – while warning that her shocking murder is a sign of the anti-LGBT+ sentiment and hate spreading across the US. Murder over a rainbow flag On Friday, 18 August at 5pm officers from the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station responded to a report of a person who had been shot at the Mag Pi clothing store. When police arrived on the scene, they saw that Carleton was suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials from the San Bernardino County sheriff’s office said that there was an initial altercation that took place at Carleton’s clothing store over an LGBT+ pride flag that the owner has displayed outside of her store. The suspect made “several disparaging remarks about a rainbow flag that stood outside the store before shooting Carleton,” police said. The suspect then fled the scene and was later located near Torrey Road and Rause Rancho Road, armed with a handgun. Police said in a statement when officials attempted to “contact the suspect a lethal force encounter occurred, and the suspect was pronounced deceased.” The investigation into Carleton’s death is ongoing and police said no further details are being released. Residents are urged to contact the homicide department with any information about the incident. A ‘true ally’ and fashion leader Carleton, 66, also known as “Lauri” was the owner of Mag Pi clothing in California. She started her career in fashion during her teenage years and worked in the family business at Fred Segal Feet in Los Angeles, while attending the Art Centre School of Design, according to the Mag Pi store website. Carleton then began running the “top fashion” show floor in the US at Joseph Magnin Century City. She then joined Kenneth Cole and remained there for over 15 years, where she worked with factories and design teams in Italy and Spain. The designer travelled with her husband across the US, Europe and South America, which fuelled her love for design, fashion, food, fine art and architecture among other things. Her clothing store, Mag Pi, is “all about tackling everyday life with grace and ease and continuing to dream,” the website reads. Carleton’s daughter, Ari, posted a heartfelt tribute on her Instagram, remembering her mother as a “fearless, cool and compassionate” human being and describing her death as a “hate crime.” The caption said: “As most of you know our beautiful mommy was taken from us in a senseless act of violence on Friday August 18th. She was murdered over a pride flag that she proudly hung on her storefront. 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. We have a long road ahead of us as we navigate this new reality without our loving matriarch.” The post continued: “We find peace in knowing she passed quickly in a place she cherished, doing what she loved while fiercely defending something she believed in. She was fearless, cool and compassionate – always putting others first. We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support that our family has received from loved ones and strangers alike, it has provided hope and light in our darkest days. We will continue to advocate for love, equality and acceptance in everything that we do. Love will always triumph over hate.” ‘This intolerance has to end’ Tributes are now pouring in for the “beloved” mother of nine and business owner who was known to be a supporter and advocate of theLGBT+ community. The death of Carleton has led to outrage across the country, with family, friends and famous figures sharing their grief on social media. Actor George Takei, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that her death was a result of the anti-LGBT+ sentiment coming from the right. “This is the result of the hate they spew. An innocent woman, a gentle and loving soul, has lost her life” he said. “My heart aches for her family in the wake of this horrific murder. Those responsible go beyond the murderer. Every anti-LGBTQ politician, bigoted pundit, and right-wing hate monger has Laura Carleton’s blood on their hands.” Close friend and Hollywood director Paul Feig, whose works include Bridesmaids and The Heat, posted a tribute on Sunday, calling Carleton his “wonderful friend”. The post, captioned with a photo of Carleton and him said: “We are all devastated for her husband Bort and her family and the LGBTQ+ community, for whom Lauri was such a true ally. “This intolerance has to end. Anyone using hateful language against the LGBTQ+ community has to realize their words matter, that their words can inspire violence against innocent loving people. Let’s all keep moving forward with tolerance and love. Let’s not let Lauri’s tragic death be in vain,” he added. The Lake Arrowhead LGBTQ+ community also described Carleton as a "friend and supporter” and said that although she did not identify as LGBTQ+, she spent her time “helping and advocating for everyone in the community.” Sex and the City actress Kristin Davis also posted a tribute and said Carleton was a “strong ally” within the community. Davis’s caption said: “I had the pleasure of meeting Lauri and shopping in her charming store over the summer. I cannot comprehend what has happened and I can only imagine what her family and close friends are going through. “We cannot rest in our work towards love and understanding and equality for every person. It is abundantly clear that divisive senseless hate is the only motive for this hate crime. Lauri was a strong ally, when her Pride flags were stolen she quickly replaced them. To think that she was murdered for her support of our LQBTQ+ family tears my heart into pieces. “I want Lauri to be known as the HERO she was and is. I want her family to know we are thinking of them and for everyone to know that we must continue to stand up for what is right! #lovewins.” Read More Laura Carleton shooting – latest: Travis Ikeguchi named as gunman who killed mother-of-nine over Pride flag Travis Ikeguchi: What we know about the gunman who shot Laura Carleton over Pride flag Jamie Lee Curtis and Paul Feig lead reactions to shooting of California store owner over Pride flag