ORLANDO, Fla.— Christina Grimmie was a vivacious, outgoing singer whose career was born on social media and propelled toward the big time by television. She didn’t consider herself a famous person, not like the judges on “The Voice,” where she competed, but she had a following that was as enthusiastic about her music as she was.
Kevin Loibl wasn’t like her. While she was a YouTube star, he seemed to be a shadow of Grimmie’s online presence. He left little trace online.
The two apparently had no personal connection to one another until Friday night when police said Loibl traveled 100 miles from his home in St. Petersburg to an Orlando concert venue. There, he shot Grimmie as she was signing autographs for fans after performing. He then fatally shot himself after being tackled by Grimmie’s brother, Marcus.
Grimmie died several hours later early Saturday. Millions of people, far more than those who loved her for her music, were shocked and saddened by her death.
“She was doing a meet-and-greet, just signing autographs and selling merchandise. This white male approached her and opened fire, striking her,” Orlando Police Chief John Mina said Saturday at a news conference. “There is no indication that he knew her. We’re looking into that to try to find a motive for the crime.”
