According to CBS, an off-duty police officer shot and killed a young black man, Tyler Gebhard, after he broke into the officer’s St Louis home Saturday evening. This was following an argument the two had over Black Lives Matter.
The officer’s family, who were in the house at the time, said they knew who the victim was because he had recently had an argument with the officer about the recent police violence. Gebhard, 20, rang the doorbell of the Lakeshire home around 5.30PM on Saturday, police say. The officer’s wife and infant answered the door and after seeing who it was, immediately ran upstairs to hide with her mother-in-law.
After failing to gain entry through the front door, Gebhard then went to the back of the house and threw a concrete planter through the door, where he entered the home. According to the St Louis Post Dispatch, once Gebhard was inside the home, the off-duty cop allegedly yelled ‘Get down! Get down! Get down!’ at Gebhard before shooting him twice in the chest. As this was happening, the family had apparently tried to escape the house through the bedroom window.
According to reports, Gebhard suffered from bipolar disorder. Gebhard’s uncle, Patrick Brogan, 57, of Waterloo, said his nephew, a former football standout at Affton High School, suffered from bipolar disorder. Furthermore, Brogan claimed Gebhard’s mental health had take a turn for the worst during the last few months, and he had to frequently be reminded to take his medication.
As for the reason for the dispute, Gebhard and the officer had been arguing on Facebook about Black Lives Matter. Gebhard, who was mixed-race, had empathized with the group’s objectives but didn’t participate in protests, according to his uncle. Nikki Toal, a family friend of Gebhard’s, told the St. Louis Dispatch that Gebhard was a ‘wonderful kid’ and ‘a sweetheart’. Similarly, his uncle Brogan also told them that Gebhard was ‘the nicest kid you could ever meet’ and was ‘just a normal 20-year-old.’
The officer, who’s name has not been released, has been placed on administrative leave with pay.
What Happened?
A 20 year old man with bi-polar disorder, Tyler Gebhard, was shot and killed as he broke and entered into an off-duty police officer’s home. They had previously been arguing on Facebook about Black Lives Matter.
Who Was Tyler Gebhard?
Tyler Gebhard was a 20 year old former football standout at Affton High School. He suffered from bi-polar disorder. Those who knew him described him as ‘wonderful kid’ and ‘a sweetheart’, and ‘the nicest kid you could ever meet’ and was ‘just a normal 20-year-old.’