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In June 2016, Christina Grimmie, who placed third on season 6 of NBC's reality TV singing competition The Voice, was critically wounded after being shot by a 27-year-old St. Petersburg man named Kevin James Loibl in a premeditated attack. Moments later, the obsessed fan and alleged gunman shot himself to death.
According to reports, the incident occurred at The Plaza Live in Orlando during a meet-and-greet about half an hour after her opening performance for the band, Before You Exit. Reports state that the victim and the shooter didn't know each other personally, but the latter's friends mentioned his "obsession" with the singer during a subsequent investigation.
ID's Death by Fame will delve into Christina Grimmie's tragic death in an all-new episode titled Behind the Screen on February 6, 2023, at 9 pm ET. The synopsis of the episode states:
"Singer Christina Grimmie went from internet sensation to international superstar with her performance on "The Voice"; among her legions of fans was someone whose obsession would bring her dreams to a tragic end."
Christina Grimmie's death: Five quick facts to know about former The Voice contestant's death
1) Christina Grimmie was shot during a meet-and-greet with fans
Grimmie's shooter was among the hundreds of fans who had gathered at The Plaza Live in Orlando, Florida, on the night of June 10, 2016. She performed the opening song for the band, Before You Exit. Half an hour after her performance, she was shot at around 10:30 pm ET when she met about 120 fans gathered around for signed autographs.
2) Grimmie's shooter, Kevin James Loibl, was carrying multiple weapons on him at the time
According to reports, Christina Grimmie, 22, was shot by a St. Petersburg, Florida man, later identified as 27-year-old Kevin James Loibl. The latter was carrying multiple weapons on him, including two handguns, two fully loaded magazines, and a large-size hunting knife. Loibl fatally shot himself moments after the incident.
One of the witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots - about four to five shots - and rushed inside the venue only to find a man and a woman heavily bleeding on the ground. The witness also described the incident as "horrifying."
3) Loibl was tackled by the singer's brother moments before he shot himself
Christina Grimmie's brother Marcus reportedly tackled Kevin James Loibl as soon as the shooting started, and in the ensuing fight, Loibl shot himself. Authorities even thanked Grimmie's brother for interrupting the assault quickly and defending bystanders. According to Chief Mina, at least 120 people were present at the crime scene when the incident occurred.
The Police Department reported that Marcus Grimmie "is a hero and possibly saved countless other lives" and evaded incurring injuries himself during the struggle with the shooter. On the other hand, Marcus said he "wasn't afraid."
"There wasn't any time for fear; it was my first instinct to tackle him, so that's what I did."
4) Christina Grimmie died in the early morning hours after the shooting
Authorities found Christina Grimmie "critically injured" when they arrived on the scene the night of the shooting. She eventually succumbed to her injuries at a hospital at around three in the early morning of June 11, 2016. The next day, an autopsy revealed that Grimmie was shot three times - twice in the chest and once in the head.
The "head and chest gunshot wounds" were listed as Grimmie's official cause of death.
5) Although no solid motive was found, authorities revealed that Loibl was obsessed with Grimmie
While authorities found it difficult to draw a motive for shooting the 22-year-old rising star, multiple co-workers and the only friend of Kevin James Loibl claimed that they were aware of his "obsession" with Grimmie and that Loibl believed that he was her "soulmate."
The shooter's friend of over 15 years, Cory Dennington, claimed that Kevin even told him that he "watched everything to do with [Grimmie]."
