A police car parked in a serene Newport Beach neighborhood.
The Newport Beach Police Department is under investigation following the shooting of 45-year-old motorcyclist Geoffrey Stirling. Body camera footage released reveals a confrontation where Stirling, who was allegedly experiencing a mental health crisis, was shot after an altercation with officers. Stirling’s family plans to file a lawsuit, raising concerns about police conduct during mental health encounters. Newport Beach Police Chief announced that the California Department of Justice is reviewing the incident.
The Newport Beach Police Department is currently under scrutiny following the release of body camera footage that captures the fatal shooting of 45-year-old motorcyclist Geoffrey Shyam Stirling on April 17. The incident began when officers attempted to pull over Stirling for allegedly running a red light at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Superior Avenue around 9:15 p.m.
During the traffic stop, Stirling was reportedly uncooperative, refusing to follow the officer’s instructions to sit on the sidewalk. Stirling insisted multiple times that he had not been drinking and was “just trying to stay safe.” As the interaction escalated, Stirling reached into his jacket to retrieve his identification, expressing concern with the words, “Don’t shoot me.”
According to the footage, as the officer turned away to call for backup, Stirling advanced towards him, resulting in a physical altercation. During this confrontation, Stirling allegedly struck the officer several times in the head and was able to take control of the officer’s Taser. The situation intensified when the Taser was reportedly aimed at the back of the officer’s head.
In the moments that followed the struggle, the officer ordered Stirling to drop the weapon. When he failed to comply quickly enough, the officer fired six shots. Stirling was transported to Hoag Hospital but was later declared dead. The cause of death has been reported as blood loss.
Following the release of the body camera footage, which aligns with previous police accounts while providing additional details on the incident, Stirling’s family expressed “grave concern” regarding the actions taken by the officer. They plan to file a lawsuit in pursuit of accountability, asserting that Stirling was experiencing a mental health crisis during the confrontation, which posed no lethal threat to the officer at the time of the shooting. The family has also criticized the police for not providing immediate medical aid to Stirling post-shooting.
In response to the incident, Newport Beach Police Chief Dave Miner stated that the California Department of Justice is investigating the shooting as is standard procedure for police-involved incidents involving unarmed individuals.
Geoffrey Stirling was the brother of Lydia McLaughlin, a former cast member of “Real Housewives of Orange County.” Furthermore, he had a pending felony arson charge stemming from an incident occurring just weeks before the confrontation on March 21.
This incident raises significant concerns regarding police conduct and the mental health of individuals encountered during law enforcement activities. As the investigation unfolds, the Newport Beach community is left grappling with the implications of this tragic encounter.
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