USA Today photo
Christina Grimmie, a singer known for competing on The Voice, is in critical condition Friday night after she was shot after a concert in Orlando, authorities confirmed.
Grimmie and the pop/punk band Before You Exit were signing autographs and selling merchandise after their show at the Plaza Live Theater when a man walked up to her and shot her, Orlando Sgt. Wanda Miglio said in a news conference.
Grimmie’s brother tackled him. The suspect then shot himself.
“This should have been something that was fun and exciting,” Miglio said, “and for something like this to happen is just a tragedy.”
Grimmie was taken to the Orlando Regional Medical Center. No one else was reported injured.
Miglio called Grimmie’s brother a hero, crediting him with stopping the suspect from hurting anyone else.
The suspect, who was not identified, is dead, Miglio said. He had two guns in his possession, but Miglio said she has no information about the type of gun used, the motive or whether he and Grimmie knew each other. She said she did not know how many rounds were fired.
Grimmie, who started out performing music on YouTube, is known for competing on the sixth season ofThe Voice in 2014. She finished in third place. She is working on an album signed under the label Island Records.
At Friday’s show, Grimmie was the last to perform before the show wrapped up, Miglio said.
News of the shooting spread quickly on social media. #PrayforChristina has started trending on Twitter as fans and celebrities expressed their concern.
UPDATE: New England Music Award winner Sarah Barrios had opened for Grimmie only a few short weeks ago.
