St. Louis Tragedy: Olympian-Level Figure Skater Fatally Shot During Drive-Thru Robbery

 The St. Louis community is mourning the tragic loss of Gabrielle “Sam” Linehan, a 28-year-old former Team USA synchronized figure skater and coach, who was fatally shot during an alleged armed robbery at a Starbucks drive-thru in the Tower Grove East neighborhood on February 10, 2026.

According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Linehan was approached shortly after 10 a.m. by 58-year-old Keith Lamon Brown, who allegedly wore a high-visibility vest and helmet. Brown reportedly ordered Linehan to raise her hands before firing shots that struck her, then fled the scene with items from her purse, including her driver’s license and bank cards. Linehan was transported to a hospital but succumbed to her injuries.

Police used surveillance footage from the Starbucks and nearby cameras to identify and locate Brown. He was arrested early February 11 following a SWAT search of his home, where authorities recovered Linehan’s driver’s license along with items linked to prior robbery victims. Brown now faces charges including first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree robbery, four counts of armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a firearm, tied not only to Linehan’s death but also to robberies at a McDonald’s on February 6 and a Dollar General on February 8, during which he allegedly fired shots. Court records indicate Brown had prior convictions for robbery and armed criminal action in 1986 and 1996, was paroled in 2020, and had violated parole terms. He was denied bond.

Linehan was widely celebrated in the local and national figure skating community. She earned silver at the 2014 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships with St. Louis Synergy, coached at Metro Edge Skating Club, and worked as a general manager at acclaimed St. Louis restaurants including Sado and Yellowbelly. Colleagues remembered her as a disciplined, inspiring coach and mentor, while her former coach described her as “one of the most naturally talented kids I had coached.”

Friends, students, and the broader St. Louis community continue to mourn her passing, honoring Linehan’s dedication to her sport, her mentorship, and the lasting impact she had on everyone she touched.