Skip to content 
By 2016, Grimmie was still working toward the future she had imagined for herself.
She was writing and recording music, performing live and connecting with fans. Her official biography describes her as a singer, songwriter and YouTube phenomenon whose online following had grown to millions.
On June 10, 2016, she was in Orlando, Florida, to perform at The Plaza Live with the band Before You Exit.
There was nothing unusual about the beginning of the evening.
Grimmie performed for fans, just as she had done many times before. After the concert, she remained at the venue for a meet-and-greet, signing merchandise and interacting with people who had come to see her.
That decision to stay behind and meet fans would turn the final moments of the evening into a tragedy.
The Man Who Came to the Concert
The person who attacked Grimmie was later identified by police as Kevin James Loibl, a 27-year-old from St. Petersburg, Florida.
According to Orlando police, Loibl had traveled to Orlando apparently intending to kill Grimmie. Authorities said there was no indication that Grimmie and Loibl personally knew one another. He arrived at the venue armed with two handguns, loaded magazines and a hunting knife.
That detail was particularly disturbing to investigators because Grimmie had not been involved in a personal dispute with the man.
There was no known confrontation between them that night.
Instead, according to police accounts, Loibl approached Grimmie while she was signing autographs after the performance.
The attack happened with frightening speed.
The Final Moments After the Concert
The concert had ended, but the venue was not empty.
Grimmie and the performers remained behind while fans gathered for the meet-and-greet. According to police, Grimmie was signing autographs when Loibl walked toward her and opened fire.
Grimmie was shot and critically wounded.
Her brother, Marcus Grimmie, was nearby and immediately tackled the gunman. Police credited Marcus with preventing the attacker from continuing to fire at other people inside the venue. During the struggle, Loibl fatally shot himself.
Emergency responders rushed Grimmie to Orlando Regional Medical Center.
She was pronounced dead later that night.
She was only 22.
The official autopsy later determined that Grimmie had suffered gunshot wounds to the head and chest, and her manner of death was ruled a homicide.
What Was Happening Before the Attack?
One of the most haunting aspects of Grimmie’s death is how ordinary the evening appeared immediately beforehand.
Shortly before the concert, Grimmie had encouraged fans to come to the show. She was doing what young performers routinely do: performing, meeting supporters and sharing her music.
There was no public warning that she was about to become the target of a deadly attack.
Police later said Grimmie had not reported threats or unusual attention from aggressive fans before the shooting. Her brother also told investigators that he had never seen the attacker before and did not recall noticing him during the performance.
That made the violence even more difficult for people around her to understand.
How could someone arrive at an ordinary concert carrying weapons and turn a fan event into a murder?
The investigation eventually offered some answers about the attacker but could not provide a complete explanation for why he became so fixated on Grimmie.