Grimmie Shot By A Fan In Orlando
“The Voice” star Christina Grimmie has died after she was shot at The Plaza Live on Bumby Street. In Orlando. The 22-year-old singer was shot while signing autographs for fans following a show, officials said an Orlando police spokesperson.
Police said in a news release that the 22-year-old singer had performed with the band Before You Exit at The Plaza Live in Orlando. The concert ended around 10 p.m., and Grimmie was shot as she signed autographs for fans at a merchandise table. Her brother immediately tackled the gunman, who shot himself during a struggle, police said. The shooter, who had two guns, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Orlando police said Grimmie’s brother is a hero because he prevented his sister’s fans from being injured. A witness said others tried to help Grimmie.
“I turned the corner and I see this poor girl getting compressions done to her and she’s bleeding from the back of her head,” witness Josh Call said. “I look a few degrees to the right, and there’s (the shooter) face-down.”
Grimmie, of New Jersey, was taken to a hospital in critical condition and later died, officials said.
A publicist for Grimmie, Heather Walsh, said in an email early Saturday that “we can confirm that Christina has passed and went home to be with the Lord.” The Orlando Police Department also confirmed on its official Twitter page that Grimmie had died.
“It is with a heavy heart that we can confirm that Christina has passed and went home to be with the Lord,” Grimmie’s Walsh said. “She was shot at her show in Orlando and, unfortunately, didn’t survive the gunshot wounds. We ask at this time that you respect the privacy of her family and friends in their time of mourning.”
A motive for the shooting has not been determined.
“We don’t know if he was just a crazy fan that followed her on Twitter or on social media. We really don’t know,” Orlando police spokeswoman Wanda Miglio said. “This is a very tragic event. This should have been something that was fun and exciting, and for something like this to happen is just a tragedy.”
Fans said they were heartbroken to hear the news.
Grimmie, finished third during season six of NBC’s “The Voice.” She began amassing a following on YouTube as a teenager, gripping online viewers with her powerful renditions of hit songs. Several of her videos on YouTube have garnered millions of views.
