Image: Christina Grimmie / Facebook

Singer Christina Grimmie Dies After Being Shot At US Concert

American singer Christina Grimmie has died after being shot while meeting with fans at a concert in Orlando, Florida.

Orlando Police say 22-year-old Ms Grimmie, a former contestant on the US series of The Voice, was shot on Friday night (10th June) at the Plaza Live venue by 27-year-old Kevin James Loibl, and died on Saturday due to her injuries. Loibl fatally shot himself after shooting Ms Grimmie.

Police say Loibl had two handguns, two loaded magazines and a hunting knife on him when he confronted Ms Grimmie. Investigators are looking into Loibl’s motives, and have also published a photo of him, which can be viewed below.

Ms Grimmie’s brother Marcus Grimmie, who tackled Loibl during the shooting, has posted a heartfelt statement to Facebook, saying:

“Christina was more than my sister. She was a partner in life. A superstar. A goofball. Introverted. And a friend to everyone. Genuinely. But above all… she was my baby sister. She loved the Lord and her family and was always there for me and I honestly don’t know what ill do without her.

“But please, if you are reading this far, I would love all and any of you to post pics of you and her and/or memories you have of her down in the comments. I will cherish it forever and always. So please do that for me.

“Thank you all so so much. The support has been crazy and I do feel a peace. I just don’t have any words. I love you all.”

A GoFundMe crowdfunding page has been set up to support the Grimmie family, and has raised over USD$60,000 at the time of writing. In a statement posted to the page, Ms Grimmie’s longtime manager Brian Teefey says:

“Words cannot begin to describe the pain I am feeling. I learned this business through the eyes of a father and Christina was like a second daughter to me. All I wanted to do was assist her in achieving her musical dreams while protecting her from the pitfalls associated with the business. I never could have imagined this horrific event being one of the pitfalls needing to be avoided.

“In Christina’s honor I have created a Go Fund Me page to assist her family in their time of need. As family Mother, Father, and Brother made the ultimate family sacrifice to support Christina on her musical journey. They did nothing but love her and support her as family the best they knew how, the only worry I want them to have at this point is that of recovery.

“Grimms I love you, and miss you beyond comprehension.”

The music world has paid tribute to Ms Grimmie’s memory by sharing photos and videos of the singer, while a string of artists — including Twenty One Pilots, Selena Gomez, Pentatonix and Kesha — have dedicated songs to the muso at their own shows.

Catch a collection of artist tributes below, alongside statements from Marcus Grimmie and Orlando Police.



https://twitter.com/PopCrave/status/741809148589801472

https://twitter.com/YonceTea/status/741736405139755008



https://twitter.com/TheMendesMoon/status/741787686952898560

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