Incident Overview
On the morning of Monday, February 10, 2026, at approximately 10:00 a.m., Gabrielle "Sam" Linehan, 28, was shot and killed at the Starbucks drive-thru on the 2300 block of South Grand Boulevard in the Tower Grove East neighborhood of St. Louis. Linehan was the general manager of a local restaurant called Sado and was also an accomplished figure skater — a former member of Team USA's synchronized skating team who earned a silver medal at the World Synchronized Skating Championships, and who coached at Metro Edge Skating Club. She was a customer at the drive-thru at the time of the shooting.
Police subsequently arrested Keith Lamon Brown, 58, and charged him with first-degree murder in connection with Linehan's death. Brown was also linked to two additional armed robberies at commercial establishments in the days before the fatal shooting. A judge denied Brown's request for bond on February 14. Brown entered a not guilty plea, with further court hearings scheduled for February 19 and March 11, 2026.
On February 6, a woman and her daughter were robbed at gunpoint at a Jack in the Box restaurant on South Grand Boulevard, where shots were also fired. On February 8, a cashier was robbed at gunpoint at a Dollar General store on North Grand Boulevard, where shots were again fired. Surveillance footage from all three locations showed the suspect wearing a distinctive bright reflective safety vest during each incident.
Brown has a lengthy criminal history. He pleaded guilty in 1986 and received a 15-year sentence for robbery, burglary, and armed criminal action. He was convicted again in 1996 and sentenced to 30 years for robbery and armed criminal action. He was released from prison on July 24, 2020, and was listed as a parole absconder at the time of his arrest.
Remembering Gabrielle "Sam" Linehan
Gabrielle "Sam" Linehan, 28, was the general manager of Sado, a local restaurant, and an accomplished figure skater who had represented the United States on Team USA's synchronized skating team, earning a silver medal at the World Synchronized Skating Championships. She coached young skaters at Metro Edge Skating Club. She was a customer at the Starbucks drive-thru when the shooting occurred — not an employee, not involved in any altercation, simply going about her day. Her death represents the devastating human cost when patterns of escalating violence at commercial properties go unaddressed along busy corridors.
Charges Filed - February 2026
Keith Lamon Brown, 58, has been charged with first-degree murder, four counts of armed criminal action, three counts of first-degree robbery, and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with the Starbucks shooting and the linked armed robberies at Jack in the Box and Dollar General. A judge denied bond on February 14. Brown entered a not guilty plea, with hearings set for February 19 and March 11, 2026.
Brown was a parole absconder at the time of his arrest, having been released from prison on July 24, 2020, after serving portions of sentences for prior robbery and armed criminal action convictions in 1986 and 1996.
Location & Context
The Starbucks is located on the 2300 block of South Grand Boulevard in the Tower Grove East neighborhood of St. Louis. The Starbucks location had been the subject of more than a dozen calls for service during 2025, with the February 10 shooting representing the second call for service in 2026, according to SLMPD data referenced by First Alert 4.
One homicide was recorded in the surrounding Tower Grove East neighborhood during 2025. Police acknowledged that they did not identify the pattern connecting the Jack in the Box robbery, the Dollar General robbery, and the Starbucks shooting until after the fatal incident on February 10. The three targeted businesses were all located along or near the Grand Boulevard corridor in St. Louis.
Property Details
Property Type: Starbucks drive-thru on the 2300 block of South Grand Boulevard in the Tower Grove East neighborhood of St. Louis
Calls for Service: The Starbucks location had been the subject of more than a dozen calls for service during 2025, with the February 10 shooting representing the second call for service in 2026.
Corridor Pattern: The three targeted businesses — Jack in the Box, Dollar General, and Starbucks — were all located along or near the Grand Boulevard corridor in St. Louis.
Grand Boulevard Corridor Crime Pattern
February 6 — Jack in the Box (South Grand Blvd.): A woman and her daughter were robbed at gunpoint. Shots were fired. The suspect wore a bright reflective safety vest.
February 8 — Dollar General (North Grand Blvd.): A cashier was robbed at gunpoint. Shots were again fired. The suspect wore the same reflective safety vest.
February 10 — Starbucks (South Grand Blvd.): Sam Linehan, 28, was fatally shot at the drive-thru. Keith Lamon Brown was subsequently arrested and charged.
Pattern Identified After the Fact: Police did not identify the connection between the three incidents until after the fatal shooting, according to First Alert 4. The suspect used a recognizable reflective vest across all three incidents.
Drive-Thru & Restaurant Security Standards
Drive-thru restaurants and coffee shops face security challenges related to their open access, high customer volume, cash handling, and predictable traffic patterns that can make them targets for criminal activity. Industry security experts have identified several measures commonly recommended for these establishments:
Surveillance & Camera Systems
Security cameras covering the drive-thru lane, parking lot, entrances, and interior. High-quality footage with adequate retention periods supports investigations and may deter criminal activity. Remote monitoring capabilities allow off-site review.
Exterior Lighting
Well-lit parking areas, drive-thru lanes, and building exteriors serve as both a deterrent and a means of natural surveillance. Lighting should be maintained consistently and inspected regularly, particularly in areas with histories of criminal activity.
Drive-Thru Lane Safety
Drive-thru lane design that minimizes blind spots, provides adequate lighting, and allows vehicles to exit safely in an emergency. Consideration of how the lane layout affects the safety of both customers and employees during transactions.
Law Enforcement Communication
Establishing communication channels with local law enforcement to receive alerts about crime patterns and trends in the area. Businesses along corridors experiencing repeated criminal activity benefit from proactive information sharing.
Employee Safety Training
Training employees on robbery response protocols, emergency procedures, and situational awareness. Staff should know how to recognize threatening behavior, activate silent alarms, and prioritize personal safety during violent incidents.
Crime Pattern Awareness
Monitoring local crime trends and adjusting security measures when patterns of criminal activity emerge in the surrounding area. When multiple businesses along a corridor experience armed robberies, heightened vigilance and temporary security enhancements may be warranted.
Potential Negligent Security Considerations
Under Missouri law, property owners must keep their premises in reasonably safe and secure conditions. When evaluating negligent security claims, courts examine whether the property owner knew or should have known about security risks and whether reasonable measures were implemented to address foreseeable dangers.
Several factors may warrant examination regarding this incident:
1 History of Calls for Service
Whether the Starbucks location's history of more than a dozen calls for service in 2025 warranted additional security measures such as enhanced lighting, security cameras, or on-site personnel. A documented pattern of police calls may establish that the property owner was on notice of security concerns at the location.
2 Corridor-Wide Robbery Pattern
Whether property owners or managers at the Starbucks, Jack in the Box, and Dollar General locations were aware of the pattern of armed robberies along the Grand Boulevard corridor before the fatal shooting. The connected robberies on February 6 and February 8 preceded the homicide, raising questions about whether interim security enhancements could have been prompted.
3 Physical Security Infrastructure
The adequacy of exterior lighting, camera coverage, and drive-thru lane design at the Starbucks location. Drive-thru configurations can create vulnerability for customers waiting in vehicles, and the physical layout of the property may affect both the likelihood of criminal activity and the ability to respond to it.
4 Security Assessment History
Whether the Starbucks franchise or property owner had conducted a security assessment in light of prior incidents at the location. With more than a dozen calls for service in 2025, a reasonable property owner may have been expected to evaluate and enhance security measures at the site.
5 Law Enforcement Communication
Whether communication between law enforcement and area businesses regarding the robbery pattern could have prompted interim security enhancements. Police acknowledged they did not identify the pattern connecting the three incidents until after the fatal shooting, raising broader questions about information sharing between law enforcement and commercial establishments along high-crime corridors.
Missouri Premises Liability & Prior Incident History
Missouri's Business Premises Safety Act establishes that businesses have no duty to guard against criminal acts unless they know or have reason to know such acts are being committed or are reasonably likely to be committed on the premises. The Starbucks location's documented history of more than a dozen calls for service in 2025 and the pattern of armed robberies along the Grand Boulevard corridor may be relevant in establishing foreseeability and evaluating whether additional security measures were warranted.
If you or a loved one was affected by a similar incident, the experienced negligent security attorneys featured on this site offer free, confidential consultations to help you understand your legal options.