The Real Housewives of Orange County alum Lydia McLaughlin and her family are experiencing profound grief following an unimaginable tragedy.

The beloved former Bravo star’s brother, Geoffrey “Geoff” Shyam Stirling Jr., tragically lost his life after being shot during a confrontation with law enforcement in Southern California on April 17. He was just 45 years old.

”My family and I are heartbroken by the loss of my brother,” McLaughlin, 44, expressed in a heartfelt statement to TMZ on April 18. “We deeply appreciate the outpouring of love and support from friends, family, and our community during this difficult time. We kindly request privacy as we navigate through our mourning process.”

In an official statement released on the same day, the Newport Beach Police Department detailed the incident, explaining that one of its officers had initiated a stop of Geoff, who was a resident of Laguna Niguel, California, for an alleged traffic violation while he was riding his motorcycle on the highway.

“Shortly after being stopped, Stirling exhibited uncooperative behavior and assaulted the officer,” the police statement detailed. “During the ensuing violent altercation, Stirling was able to remove the department-issued taser from the officer’s duty belt and attempted to use it multiple times against the officer. It was during this struggle that an officer-involved shooting occurred.”