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Newport Beach officer fatally shoots motorcyclist after struggle over Taser, video shows

May 8, 2025

The officer who shot and killed a motorcyclist last month in Newport Beach did so after the 45-year-old old man fought with him and took his Taser, according to body-worn and dash-camera footage and interviews released on Wednesday, May. 7.

The footage aligns with what police have said generally happened, although it offers a detailed look.

Following the release of the footage, the man’s family issued a statement through their attorneys expressing “grave concern” over the officer’s actions.

The event unfolded around 9:15 p.m. on April 17. Dash-camera footage shows the motorcyclist getting pulled over after stopping for a red light and then running it at Coast Highway and Superior Avenue.

The driver was later identified as Geoffrey Shyam Stirling, 45, a Laguna Hills resident and brother of “Real Housewives of Orange County” alum Lydia McLaughlin.

Footage shows the officer approaching Stirling and asking if he is OK.

“I haven’t been drinking, officer,” Stirling responds. “I’m fully sober, I’m just trying to stay safe. People have been almost hitting me all day.”

Stirling steps off of the bike. But when instructed to sit on the sidewalk, he refuses and tries to get back on.

The officer radios that Stirling is uncooperative, and the two continue arguing.

“I don’t care what you’re telling me to do,” Stirling says.

When the officer asks for his name, Stirling does not respond and instead reaches into his jacket.

“I’ll show you my ID,” he says. “Don’t shoot me.”

The officer instructs him not to reach for anything, and Stirling appears to comply, but still does not sit down.

During the ongoing argument, the officer points out that Stirling appears to have urinated in his pants. The officer also informs him he is being detained and is not free to go.

As the officer turns to call for backup, Stirling takes a few steps toward him.

When the officer turns back, he puts his hands on and pushes Stirling, who then grabs the officer. A struggle ensues, and the officer’s body-worn camera is knocked to the ground.

Dash-camera footage appears to show Stirling striking the officer in the head several times and grabbing the officer’s Taser. At one point, Stirling has the Taser at the back of the officer’s head, police would say.

The officer breaks free and steps back.

They are steps apart, with the officer backing into a traffic lane.

The officer orders Stirling to drop the Taser, pointed at the officer. When Stirling does not comply quickly, the officer fires six shots.

Fire personnel arrive and render aid to Stirling, but is later declared dead at the hospital.

A civilian police employee on a ride-along remained in the patrol vehicle throughout the incident, Sgt. Steve Oberon said in the video released on Wednesday. Newport Beach Police Chief Dave Miner added that the California Department of Justice is investigating the shooting.

The Stirling family’s statement says that the video appears to show Stirling moving away from the officer when he was shot, although the video shows that the officer’s and Stirling’s movements at the end of the confrontation were fast-moving.

The family says Stirling was experiencing a mental-health crisis. He posed no deadly threat to the officer, the statement says. The family also alleges that although multiple officers responded, no immediate aid was given to Stirling after he was shot.

“The family remains heartbroken and devastated that Geoff was taken from them in what appears to be an unjustified use of lethal force,” the statement reads. “Equally tragic is that there may have been other options and tactics available to the officer that he failed to use.”

Orange County Register

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Newport Beach officer fatally shoots motorcyclist after struggle over Taser, video shows

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