New police bodycam footage has surfaced showing celebrity dentist Dr. Steven Lin, 41, partially buried in a suburban backyard in his underwear, an incident that occurred approximately 10 months before he was fatally shot by police. The event took place in May 2025 following an assault on a stranger in Wollongong, south of Sydney.
In the footage, Lin, who had attacked a man named Nick Skarvelis and then fled, was found concealed in a garden. Skarvelis recounted that Lin had emerged from bushes and, after an altercation during which Lin threatened to kill him and struck him with a metal pole, Lin vanished back into the bushes. Police located Lin about an hour later, partially buried and stripped to his underwear. During his arrest, Lin claimed to officers he had been out for a run and had “skipped into the bush and I laid down” because he felt “a bit weird.”
Skarvelis sustained a fractured scapula, five broken ribs, a fractured pinky finger, a broken toe, and a fractured cheekbone from the attack. Following this incident, Lin was charged with assault and released on bail.
Fatal Confrontation
Just 10 months after the Wollongong incident, on March 3, Lin was involved in another violent encounter. Police were called to a building on St Neot Ave in Potts Point, east Sydney, where Lin attacked two women, Chloe Paul and her neighbor Christine Campeau, with a knife. He reportedly entered a communal laundry room and stabbed one of the women in the face before forcing his way into another resident's unit and attacking her.
Lin then barricaded himself inside the unit. Responding officers initially attempted to use a Taser on him, but when Lin lunged at them, an officer discharged a firearm, fatally wounding him. Lin, a father of six, could not be revived at the scene.
History of Disturbing Behavior
Prior to his death, Lin had a documented history of stalking, assault, choking, and repeatedly breaching apprehended violence orders. Friends suggested his behavior escalated following the breakdown of his marriage, which involved affairs and increasing erratic conduct, reportedly fueled by drug use. During his addiction, Lin had made threats to kill his ex-wife and another woman with whom he had a child.
Lin had achieved celebrity status after authoring the bestseller “The Dental Diet,” which focused on the importance of dental health and nutrition. He had a public profile that included giving TED talks and appearing on television shows in the US. His addiction to methamphetamine is believed to have contributed to the downfall of his career and personal life.