You pull into a drive-thru expecting a quick stop, and the day turns tragic — a popular skating coach, Sam Linehan, was shot at a Starbucks in St. Louis during what police say followed a multi-day robbery spree. A 58-year-old man now faces first-degree murder and related charges after authorities linked the attack to several armed robberies earlier that week.
This piece will walk through the shooting and the police account of the robberies, explain what investigators have said about the suspect and charges, and look at how the local skating community is responding to Linehan’s death. Stay with the details on the timeline, the criminal allegations, and the personal impact on those who knew her.
Starbucks Drive-Thru Shooting and Robbery Spree
A man accused of a multi-day robbery spree allegedly confronted multiple victims in drive-thrus and retail locations before a fatal encounter at a Starbucks on South Grand. Police say surveillance, victim reports, and recovered items tied the incidents together and led to an arrest.
Timeline of Events: From Robbery Spree to Shooting
Investigators allege the incidents began February 6 with an armed robbery at a Jack in the Box on South Grand, followed by a February 8 robbery at a Dollar General on North Grand. Officers say shots were fired during some of the earlier incidents but no one was reported injured in those cases. On February 10, around 10:00 a.m., a woman in the Starbucks drive-thru on the 2300 block of South Grand was shot and later died at a hospital. Authorities identified the victim as 28-year-old Sam Linehan, a figure skating coach and restaurant manager.
Police tied the February 10 shooting to the earlier robberies by noting similar suspect clothing—reports describe a neon safety vest and a hard hat—and a pattern of demanding property from drivers and customers. St. Louis Metropolitan Police posted images and details as they pursued leads in Tower Grove East and surrounding neighborhoods.
How the Suspect Was Identified and Arrested
Officers reviewed surveillance footage from the three incidents and matched clothing, movements, and timing across locations. Witness statements and physical descriptions reinforced the match. Detectives linked certain stolen items recovered during searches to victims of the prior robberies. Police arrested Keith Lamon Brown on February 10. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said he was armed at the time of arrest and taken into custody without bond. Local outlets including Fox 2 Now and others reported on the arrest and the department’s public advisories to avoid approaching the suspect prior to custody…