Former Team USA synchronized skating medalist Gabrielle “Sam” Linehan, 28, was allegedly gunned down in broad daylight at a Starbucks drive-thru in St. Louis — and police say the suspect had been on a violent spree just days earlier.
According to authorities, Linehan was sitting in her car at the popular coffee spot in the Tower Grove East neighborhood just after 10 a.m. Tuesday when 58-year-old Keith Lamon Brown allegedly approached her vehicle wearing a high-visibility vest and helmet.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows Brown walking up to her car and ordering her to raise her hands at gunpoint. Moments later, shots were fired.
Linehan was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead.
Linehan wasn’t just another customer in a drive-thru line. She was a former Team USA synchronized skating medalist who earned silver at the 2014 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships.
She later became a coach in Webster Groves and worked closely with the St. Louis Synergy, part of the Metro Edge Skating Club.
The team paid tribute in a heartfelt Instagram statement, calling her “a cherished skater, coach, mentor, and friend whose impact reached far beyond the ice.”
“Coach Sam devoted time and heart to supporting and developing skaters while instilling the values of discipline, teamwork, integrity, and resilience,” the statement read. “This loss is both sudden and profoundly heartbreaking.”
Her longtime coach, Ramona Peterson, told local outlet KSDK that Linehan was “one of the most naturally talented kids I had coached,” adding that her dedication stood out just as much as her athletic ability.
Police say the shooting was part of a string of violent robberies.
Brown allegedly stole Linehan’s bank cards and driver’s license before fleeing on foot.
He was arrested early Wednesday and now faces first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree robbery, four counts of armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He is being held without bond at the St. Louis City Justice Center.
Authorities say Brown was already wanted in connection with two other armed robberies days before Linehan’s death.
On Feb. 6, police allege he approached a vehicle at a Jack in the Box drive-thru while wearing the same high-visibility vest and helmet, pointed a gun at the driver, and stole a purse, a 9mm handgun, and a child’s cellphone.
Two days later, he allegedly struck again at a Dollar General, demanding money from a cashier.
Investigators say at least three shots were fired across the three robberies. During Brown’s arrest, officers reportedly recovered items linked to the earlier crimes, along with the neon vest and helmet and suspected narcotics.
For the skating community, the loss feels personal.
Linehan had transitioned from athlete to mentor, helping shape the next generation of skaters. Teammates and students are now mourning not only a former medalist but a coach who poured her energy into others.
What should have been an ordinary Tuesday morning coffee stop has instead become a chilling reminder of how quickly violence can shatter lives.
As tributes continue to pour in, many are left asking the same heartbreaking question: how did a decorated athlete and beloved coach end up caught in the crosshairs of someone police say had been spiraling through violent crime for days?
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