A beloved figure skating coach who won a silver medal at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships was shot and killed at a Starbucks drive-thru in St. Louis this week, allegedly by a man wanted for a string of armed robberies across the city.
Gabrielle “Sam” Linehan, 28, was waiting in her car at the South City Starbucks in the Tower Grove East neighborhood just after 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday when Keith Lamon Brown, 58, allegedly approached wearing a high-visibility vest and helmet, held her at gunpoint, and opened fire.
Surveillance video captured Brown walking up to Linehan’s vehicle, ordering her to raise her hands, and shooting, according to police. Linehan was pronounced dead at a hospital. Brown allegedly stole multiple bank cards and her driver’s license before fleeing the scene on foot.
A SWAT team executed a search warrant at Brown’s home late Tuesday night, taking him into custody around 11:00 p.m. Police say he was armed at the time of his arrest. He was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree robbery, four counts of armed criminal action, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. He is being held at the St. Louis City Justice Center without bond.
Brown’s criminal history stretches back nearly four decades. In November 1986, he was sentenced to 15 years in state prison after pleading guilty to robbery, burglary, and armed criminal action. In 1995, he was convicted of first-degree robbery and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Court records indicate he had “absconded while being on parole.”
Before the fatal shooting, Brown was already wanted for two armed robberies committed in the days prior. On February 6, police say he approached a vehicle at a Jack in the Box drive-thru on South Grand Boulevard, pointed a gun at the driver, and stole a purse, a 9mm handgun, and both the driver’s and her daughter’s cell phones. Two days later, he allegedly walked into a Dollar General store on North Grand, pointed a gun at the cashier, and made off with cash. Police say Brown fired his gun during both robberies.
Following Brown’s arrest, authorities seized the stolen items from the Jack in the Box and Starbucks robberies, along with the neon high-visibility vest, hard hat, and suspected narcotics.
Linehan’s death has devastated the St. Louis skating community. She worked as a coach for the Metro Edge Skating Club’s St. Louis Synergy near Webster Groves and had a long history with the organization—first as a competitive skater, then as a mentor. In 2014, she helped her synchronized skating team earn a silver medal at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships. Her bio also notes she earned a gold medal in Skating Skills.
The Metro Edge Skating Club mourned her loss, calling her “a cherished skater, coach, mentor, and friend whose impact reached far beyond the ice.” The club emphasized that their focus remains on supporting Linehan’s family and ensuring skaters have access to care and resources during this difficult time.
Ramona Peterson, a longtime coach who worked with Linehan, remembered her extraordinary dedication. “She was by far one of the most naturally talented kids I had coached,” Peterson told KSDK. “But beyond that, she was incredibly dedicated.”
Skaters at the Webster Groves Ice Rink returned to the ice Thursday night, grieving the loss of their coach while trying to move forward.
Beyond the skating world, Linehan also left her mark on St. Louis’s culinary scene. She served as general manager at Sado, the award-winning sushi restaurant on the Hill, and had previously worked at Yellowbelly in the Central West End, joining their team when she was just 21 years old.
The owner of Yellowbelly described the profound loss, explaining that Linehan worked there for more than five years and that her leadership helped the restaurant receive countless awards and recognition. Sado owner Nicholas Bognar said Linehan’s leadership had been instrumental to the team’s success.
The Metro Edge Skating Club requested privacy for Linehan’s family and loved ones as they grieve, stating that “Coach Sam will be deeply missed, forever remembered, and always a part of this community.”
The investigation into the shooting continues as the St. Louis community mourns the loss of a talented athlete, dedicated coach, and beloved coworker whose life was cut short by violence in what should have been a routine morning coffee run.
