Former ‘RHOC’ star speaks out after brother shot dead by police officer

Former “The Real Housewives of Orange County” star Lydia McLaughlin is mourning the loss of her brother Geoffrey Shyam Stirling. 

On Thursday night, Stirling died at the age of 45 after he was shot and killed during an alleged altercation with a police officer following a traffic stop in Newport Beach, California, according to a press release posted by the city’s police department on its X page Friday.

“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,” McLaughlin, 44, told People magazine in a statement on Friday.

McLaughlin did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

“The Real Housewives of Orange County” alum Lydia McLaughlin is mourning the loss of her brother, Geoffrey Sterling, who died after a police officer shot him following an alleged altercation during a traffic stop. (Greg Doherty/Getty Images for Franz Skincare)

McLaughlin and Stirling’s father, Scott Stirling, who is the President and CEO of Canada’s Newfoundland Broadcasting Company, also shared a statement with People.

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“Geoffrey was a loving son, brother, uncle and friend,” Scott said. “He was a television producer, script writer, actor and model. He attended church every Sunday and supported multiple charities. We miss him already.”

According to the Newport Beach PD’s press release, Stirling, a resident of Laguna Beach, California, was riding his motorcycle on Pacific Coast Highway when he was pulled over by a police officer for an alleged traffic violation around 9:15pm.

McLaughlin said that she and her family were “devastated” by Stirling’s death and later shared a heartfelt tribute to her brother on Instagram. (Tommy Garcia/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)

“Shortly after being stopped, Stirling became uncooperative and assaulted the officer,” the statement read. “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 and rendered medical aid to Stirling until personnel from the Newport Beach Fire Department arrived,” the statement continued. “Stirling was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.”

The police department added, “In accordance with California law, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) was notified and responded to the scene to conduct an independent investigation.”

“Once their investigation is complete, the findings will be turned over to DOJ’s Special Prosecutions Section for independent review,” the statement continued. “This remains an active investigation.”

McLaughlin was a main cast member on the show’s eighth season in 2013. (Vivian Zink/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)

She rejoined the cast in 2017 for “RHOC’s” 12th season. (Tommy Garcia/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images))

McLaughlin was a main cast member during “RHOC’s” eighth season in 2013 and she returned for the show’s 12th season in 2017. 

In October 2024, McLaughlin announced that her mother Judy Stirling, who made appearances alongside her daughter during season 8 and season 12 of the reality show, had died after a long battle with breast cancer. In addition to McLaughlin and Stirling, Scott and Judy also shared a son, Jesse Stirling, 53.

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On Saturday, McLaughlin shared a tribute to her brother on her Instagram page. 

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“My family has experienced an unimaginable loss. My brother, Geoff, was tragically taken and our hearts are shattered,” she wrote in the caption of her post, which featured a photo of Stirling.

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“This was the song he turned to after we lost our mom,” she continued, referring to Billie Eilish’s 2024 hit “Birds of a Feather.”

“He’d cry every time,” she added. “I can’t believe we’re facing this pain just 6 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.”