NEWS
'The Voice' Alum Christina Grimmie Dies After Concert Shooting
6/11/2016
by
Jennifer Konerman
,
Michele Amabile Angermiller
A man fatally shot the singer and then himself after her performance Friday.
Christina Grimmie, a former contestant on The Voice, was fatally shot at a concert Friday night. She was 22 years old.
Orlando Police responded to a call at the Plaza Live venue at about 10:20 p.m. ET on Friday, where they found Grimmie injured, the Orlando police department said in a statement.
Grimmie performed with the band Before You Exit at the venue and she stayed after the event to sign autographs for fans, when police say a man approached the singer and shot her. He was tackled by Grimmie's brother, and during that struggle, the suspect fatally shot himself, according to police. The suspect was later identified as a man named Kevin James Loibl.
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Grimmie was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries. Heather Weiss, Grimmie's rep, confirmed her death late Friday night:
"It is with a heavy heart that we can confirm that Christina has passed and went home to be with the Lord. She was shot at her show in Orlando and, unfortunately, didn't survive the gun shot wounds. We ask at this time that you respect the privacy of her family and friends in their time of mourning."
Orlando Police Chief John Mina said Saturday during a press conference that the suspect who shot and killed the singer apparently traveled from another city in Florida to Orlando to confront her. Mina said the suspect didn't appear to know Christina Grimmie personally and may have been a deranged fan, although the motive was still unknown.
The performer competed on the sixth season of The Voice on Adam Levine's team (it aired in 2011), and before that began posting videos of her songs on YouTube as a teenager.
The band Before You Exit, as well as fellow performers, TV stars and reality contestants, took to Twitter after the incident with the hashtag #prayforChristina.
12:05 a.m. PT: Updated with confirmation of Grimmie's death.
