The Tragic Death Of Christina Grimmie
Up-and-coming 22-year-old pop singer Christina Grimmie was on the fast track to stardom in 2016. Between show stopping performances on The Voice, a major-label debut, an acting role and winning a Teen Choice Award, the "Anybody's You" singer was certainly positioned as a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry. That is, until a crazed fan named Kevin James Loibl murdered her during a post-concert meet and greet on June 10, 2016.
As reported by Click Orlando, 27-year-old Loibl was described by friends as a severe loner who became infatuated with Grimmie. The St. Petersburg resident would watch her videos on YouTube on repeat and even altered his appearance via Lasik, teeth whitening and hair implants to catch the young singer's eye. Loibl finally decided to meet Grimmie in 2016 at a concert in Orlando, Florida.
According to The Mirror, Loibl was described as "nervous" and "kinda creepy" while at the show. However suspicious the assailant appeared to be, he was not caught with the two handguns, two extra magazines full of ammunition, and a large hunting knife he brought into The Plaza venue on the night of Grimmie's death. In fact, one witness complained that the security was concerned about food and beverages being brought into the theater, but did not catch Loibl's guns, per the Central Florida Future.
'Her arms were open, waiting to greet him with a hug'
On June 10 at approximately 10:30 p.m., Grimmie was signing autographs after a show when Loibl approached, according to The Independent, with the singer welcoming the man with 'open arms'. Unfortunately, Grimmie did not see the weapons that Loibl possessed –- the 27-year-old shot the young entertainer once in the head and twice in the chest. Her brother quickly grabbed Loibl, who shot himself dead once he broke free. Grimmie was pronounced dead just before 11 p.m. at Orlando Regional Medical Center.
"The one guy in front of us was walking up to meet her. Her arms were open, waiting to greet him with a hug," one fan recounted the night to The Independent. "Then there was a sound of three pops, like balloons. People had brought balloons to the show and the security guards were popping them so at first I thought it was that ... "Then I saw the yellow barricade fall and the two people who had just met her started running away. I saw Christina's leg fall to the side on the ground like a dead weight. I didn't see her face."
Six months after her murder, Grimmie's family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against several entities involved in the incident, including the concert promoter, the foundation that owns the venue, and the security company working the event, according to Billboard. In January 2017, the venues involved in the litigation requested that the judge dismiss the lawsuit, claiming that the state of Florida does not allow business owners to be held liable for attacks on business property. The charges were ultimately dropped.