Slain singer Christina Grimmie to be remembered in New Jersey

By Laila Kearney

(Reuters) – A memorial was planned on Friday for rising singing star Christina Grimmie near her New Jersey hometown after she was fatally shot by a deranged fan last week while signing autographs in Orlando, Florida.

Grimmie’s funeral at the Fellowship Alliance Chapel in Medford, New Jersey, will include a viewing and memorial for family and friends, according to the funeral home.

Grimmie, 22, was shot in Orlando’s Plaza Live concert hall on Saturday evening after performing as the opening act for the band Before You Exit.

Kevin James Loibl, 27, of St. Petersburg, Florida, approached her and opened fire before being tackled by the singer’s brother. Loibl died on the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Grimmie, whose career was launched after she posted videos of herself singing on YouTube, began working with professional music producers at age 16, the funeral home’s obituary said.

She later finished in the top three on the sixth season of “The Voice,” performed on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “Dancing with the Stars,” and opened for singer Selena Gomez.

The obituary also said she recently raised $250,000 for the Humane Society of the United States.

Grimmie is survived by her parents, Albert and Tina Grimmie, and brother Marcus.

(Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Bill Trott)