Gebhard reportedly tried to break into the home of the unidentified officer when the cop’s wife wouldn’t let him in Saturday evening. Gebhard and the officer had had an argument on the social media site, in which Gebhard expressed his support for Black Lives Matter. Eventually, the officer’s wife and children escaped by climbing through a window, Granda said. KTVI reports Gebhard had been dealing with a mental illness.
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St Louis County police say 20-year-old Tyler Gebhard threw a concrete planter through a window to enter the officer’s Lakeshire home on Saturday evening.
Gebhard, who was known to the family and had allegedly sent online threats to them, reportedly arrived at the officer’s house and rang the doorbell. 20 year-old Tyler Gebhard had engaged in an online dispute with the officer over the Black Lives Matter movement.
“I don’t think the officer had a choice – I honestly don’t”, Belmar told reporters on Saturday, labeling the situation “a very hard position to be in”.
That’s what can be pieced together from the accounts of police and an uncle of Tyler Gebhard, who said the young man had been struggling with mental health issues.
Family members told Brogan the disagreement between the two men culminated with Gebhard traveling from Affton to Lakeshire late Saturday afternoon.
Gebhard is a former student at Southeast Missouri State University.
Gebhard’s uncle, Patrick Brogan, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the officer and his nephew met through a church connection, and had a fallout after arguing on Facebook over Black Lives Matter. He had to frequently be reminded to take his medication. “A lot of difficulties in life”. She refused entry to Gebhard, shut the door and joined the family at a back bedroom.
The officer yelled “get down, get down, get down”, Belmar said, according to family members who were in the house.
Gebhard, who was shot twice in the chest, was pronounced dead at a hospital.
The officer, a three-year veteran with the department, was placed on administrative leave following the shooting.
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“We are sick for both families because it was senseless”, Brogan told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
