08-05-2025
'RHOC''s' 'Lydia McLaughlin Posts Emotional Tribute to Brother as Police Release Footage of Moment He's Fatally Shot During Traffic Stop
Real Housewives of Orange County alum Lydia McLaughlin Stirling paid an emotional tribute to her brother, Geoffrey Shyam Stirling, on Instagram after he was fatally shot during a traffic stop last month
The post came before the Newport Beach Police Department released bodycam footage of the April 17 incident on Wednesday, May 7
"My heart is broken, and the shock still hasn't settled," Lydia said while sharing multiple photos of her late brother and revealing they had laid him to rest earlier this weekReal Housewives of Orange County alum Lydia McLaughlin Stirling is paying tribute to her brother, Geoffrey Shyam Stirling, after he was fatally shot during a traffic stop last month.
Lydia, 44, revealed the family had laid Geoffrey to rest earlier this week, sharing multiple photos of her late brother Geoffrey, 45, on Instagram, as well as videos of the family releasing white doves at his funeral.
"Yesterday, we laid my brother to rest. Just six months ago, we stood in this same place, grieving the loss of my mom. 🪽," the reality star captioned the Monday, May 5 post, referencing her late mother, Judy Stirling. Judy, who made multiple appearances on RHOC, died on Oct. 8, 2024, of breast cancer.
Lydia continued, "My heart is broken, and the shock still hasn't settled. 💔 But even in the sorrow, I cling to what I know is true: God is good. He is in control. I am not."
"My brother is now with my mom, and I hold onto the promise that one day, we'll all be reunited. Until then, I will miss them every single day. 💫🕊️🤍🙏🏼," she concluded.
The post came before the Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) released bodycam footage of the officer-involved shooting, which occurred on Thursday, April 17. The officer in the video, which was released on YouTube on Wednesday, May 7, mentioned Geoffrey had been pulled over after running a red light.
The NBPD had previously said in an April 19 Instagram post, "On April 17, 2025, at approximately 9:15 p.m. [local time], a Newport Beach Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop on a motorcycle on West Coast Highway between Superior Avenue and Hoag Hospital."
"The rider, identified as Geoffrey Shyam Stirling, a 45-year-old resident of Laguna Niguel, was stopped for a traffic violation," the post added. "Shortly after being stopped, Stirling became uncooperative and assaulted the officer."
"During the ensuing violent altercation, Stirling managed to remove the department-issued taser from the officer's duty belt and attempted to deploy it multiple times against the officer. At that point, an officer-involved shooting occurred," police added.
"Additional officers responded to the scene and rendered medical aid to Stirling until personnel from the Newport Beach Fire Department arrived. Stirling was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased," the post included.
The recently-released bodycam footage showed Geoffrey refusing to sit down on the curb after being instructed to by the officer.
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He said police were "harassing' him, before saying, 'Don't shoot me," as the officer responded, 'I'm not going to shoot you," telling him not to reach for his ID.
The officer said that Geoffrey had urinated in his pants, before an altercation broke out between the two in the clip. Geoffrey could be seen attempting to remove the officer's taser from his belt, before the officer said, "Drop it!"
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Gunshots were then fired, and Geoffrey fell to the floor. Police claimed Geoffrey had held the taser to the officer's head and pointed it at him. Additional officers arrived on the scene shortly after the incident. The California Department of Justice is conducting their own independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
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Paying tribute to Geoffrey, Lydia previously said in a statement shared with PEOPLE, "My family and I are devastated by the loss of my brother. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support from friends, family, and the community. We kindly ask for privacy as we mourn." She also has another brother, Jesse.
Lydia's father, Scott Stirling, added in a statement to PEOPLE: 'Geoffrey was a loving son, brother, uncle and friend. He was a television producer, script writer, actor and model. He attended church every Sunday and supported multiple charities. We miss him already.'
Lydia initially joined RHOC in season 8 and later in season 12. Both of her reality TV stints only lasted one season.
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