Former The Voice contestant and YouTube star Christina Grimmie has been shot and killed following a concert in Orlando, Florida. The 22-year-old was shot while greeting fans following the show according to The Hollywood Reporter:
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.
Please be safe , we love you @TheRealGrimmie #PrayForChristina
— 🥢 (@famousBYE) June 11, 2016
Grimmie performed on the sixth season of The Voice, joining Adam Levine’s team, before breaking out on her own with her brother in the punk band Before You Exit. TMZ notes that Grimmie had been signed to Island Records and was reportedly working on an album.
With deep regret, we have confirmed Christina Grimmie, @TheRealGrimmie has died from her injuries.
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) June 11, 2016
Grimmie’s representatives and police confirmed her passing after the incident, releasing a statement early Saturday morning:
“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.”
There has already been an outpouring of support from fans and musicians, including those from The Voice:
There are no words. We lost a beautiful soul with an amazing voice. Our hearts go out to the friends, fans and family of @TheRealGrimmie.
— The Voice (@NBCTheVoice) June 11, 2016
— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) June 11, 2016
I am in tears and absolutely shocked. We spent an amazing month on tour with her & she radiates nothing but love. So sad. #PrayForChristina
— Rachel Platten (@RachelPlatten) June 11, 2016
Prayers going up for @TheRealGrimmie right now. So heartbroken to hear this news. #PrayForChristina
— Jordan Smith (@JordanSmithLive) June 11, 2016
If you’re unfamiliar with Grimmie’s work, you can check out her performance from The Voice below and a sampling of her YouTube offerings. We’ll bring you any updates as they happen, but for now it’s just safe to say that this is a shock and a tragedy.
(Via TMZ / The Hollywood Reporter / BBC)
