The tragic fatal shooting of Geoffrey Stirling, brother of reality TV personality Lydia McLaughlin, by a Newport Beach police officer has prompted an investigation by the California Department of Justice. On the night of April 17, Stirling encountered the police after committing a traffic violation. According to the Newport Beach Police Department, Stirling became uncooperative and refused to follow the officer's commands. This altercation, captured on bodycam footage, escalated when Stirling physically assaulted the officer and took possession of the officer's taser, leading to the officer discharging his weapon multiple times, as reported by FOX LA.
The incident took place when officers conducted a traffic stop on Pacific Coast Highway near Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach. McLaughlin, in a statement obtained by FOX LA, expressed her grief, saying, "My heart is broken, and the shock still hasn’t settled." The footage released shows a tense exchange where Stirling, despite warnings, advanced toward the officer and managed to take his taser, which he allegedly pointed at the officer before being shot. Following the confrontation, paramedics transported Stirling to a hospital where he died from his injuries, while the officer was treated for injuries sustained during the altercation.
Initial reports from CBS News show dash camera video of Stirling being asked repeatedly to sit down, a request he failed to obey. His resistance eventually led to him lunging at the officer. In the ensuing scuffle, the officer fatally shot Stirling after he pointed the stolen taser at him, with the police department stating that no officers were injured during the incident.
Further complicating the events, the Stirling family has released a statement highlighting their concerns regarding the officer's actions. "Of grave and specific concern is that the videos appear to show [Stirling] moving away from the officer at the time he was shot six times," the family noted, as reported by ABC7. The family plans to file a lawsuit, citing that Stirling posed no deadly threat and questioning the officer’s use of lethal force when other tactics might have been available. They also point out that Stirling was in the midst of a mental health crisis at the time of the shooting, compounding their grievances and loss.
