Former ‘RHOC’ star Lydia McLaughlin reveals brother was shot and killed during traffic stop

The Real Housewives of Orange County alum Lydia McLaughlin Stirling is mourning the loss of her brother, Geoffrey Shyam Stirling, who was fatally shot by police in a Thursday traffic stop.

“My family has experienced an unimaginable loss,” Lydia announced in a Saturday night Instagram post. “My brother, Geoff, was tragically taken and our hearts are shattered.”

Geoffrey, 45, was riding a motorcycle along the Pacific Coast Highway on Thursday, April 17, at approximately 9:15 p.m. local time when authorities pulled him over for a traffic violation, the Newport Beach Police Department reported on Instagram.

“Shortly after being stopped, Stirling became uncooperative and assaulted the officer,” the post stated. “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.”

Additional officers responded to the scene, Newport Beach PD stated, and transported Stirling to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The California Department of Justice (DOJ) was subsequently notified and responded to the scene to conduct an independent investigation. 

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Friday that his office is looking into the shooting. The investigation is ongoing.

The California Department of Justice did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly‘s request for comment.

In her Instagram post, Lydia noted that her brother’s death comes six months after the loss of their mother, Judy Stirling. She shared the post to her Instagram Stories, including a snippet of Billie Eilish‘s “Birds of a Feather.”

“This was the song he turned to after we lost our mom. He’d cry every time,” Stirling wrote of her brother. “I can’t believe we’re facing this pain just six months after losing my best friend and mother. I know they’re both with Jesus now, and He’s walking with me through this darkness. One step at a time. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us.”

A week before her brother’s death, Lydia shared a post to mark the six-month anniversary of losing their mother to breast cancer.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly‘s free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

“Grief can make you better or bitter,” she wrote. “I am putting in my whole heart to turn my sorrow into thanksgiving, for having the privilege to have such a beautiful mom. She will always be my hero, and my favorite.”

McLaughlin is known for appearing in seasons 8 and 12 of The Real Housewives of Orange County, in addition to Bravo’s Tamra’s OC Wedding and What’s Up Orange County.