A once-prominent dental nutritionist with 250,000 Instagram followers died in a police shooting after stabbing a woman and brutally attacking a mother of three in her Sydney apartment. The March 5 incident ended when officers shot 41-year-old Dr. Steven Lin after he threatened them with a knife.
Brutal Home Invasion Sparks Police Response
Dr. Lin broke into Chloe Paul’s apartment in a ritzy Sydney building on Tuesday morning while she worked from home. The disgraced dentist pinned the photographer to the floor, choked her, and beat her while demanding money. Paul’s neighbor heard multiple cries for help during the attack. Drawing on her boxing training, Paul fought back against her attacker. Moments earlier, Lin had assaulted another woman in the building’s shared laundry room, stabbing her in the face.
RIP to Celebrity Dentist Dr. Steven Lin Shot Dead by Police After Knife Attack in Sydney’s Potts Point. Australian media report that Dr. Steven Lin, a once-prominent dentist and author, was the man shot and killed by police during a violent incident in Potts Point, an inner-city… pic.twitter.com/qDS1KzAbXr
— Howard Farran (@HowardFarran) March 4, 2026
Two officers arrived at the scene after Paul called for help. Police tasered Lin when they encountered him, but he continued threatening them with the knife. Officers then shot him dead. Both victims suffered serious injuries to their faces and heads. Paul required surgery for a broken nose. Authorities believe Lin was under the influence of drugs during the attacks.
Tragic Fall From Prominent Career
Lin had authored “The Dental Diet” and owned two successful dental practices on the NSW central coast. His professional website described him as a passionate advocate for preventive whole health through nutritional principles. He focused on understanding dental disease and argued that crooked teeth were diet-based problems requiring public health solutions. However, his family reported that a crystal meth addiction developed after his wife filed for divorce upon discovering he had fathered a child outside their marriage. The father of six children faced multiple charges, including breaches of violence orders and stalking offenses, at the time of his death.
Previous Legal Troubles Surface
Just days before the deadly confrontation, a court dismissed charges against Lin for allegedly choking and assaulting a sex worker and stealing $2,000 from her in March 2025. The case adds context to Lin’s deteriorating personal and professional circumstances. The random nature of the attacks and Lin’s apparent drug impairment raise questions about warning signs that may have preceded the violent episode. Australian authorities continue investigating the circumstances that led to the confrontation and fatal police shooting.