Christina Grimmie’s brother has shared a poignant message about the singer and has said he feels a sense of peace following her tragic death.
Marcus was with his sister, a former contestant on The Voice, when a gunman opened fire on her while she was signing autographs at a concert venue in Orlando, Florida on Friday (10 June). According to Orlando police, Marcus immediately tackled the killer who then fatally shot himself.
Orlando Police Department Chief John Mina has said Marcus' actions were “heroic”, saying he “definitely could have prevented future loss of life there”.
Writing on his Facebook page on Saturday afternoon, Marcus said he had been overwhelmed with messages of support since the atrocity.
“Christina was more than my sister,” he wrote. “She was a partner in life. A superstar. A goofball. Introverted. And a friend to everyone. Genuinely. But above all...she was my baby sister. She loved the Lord and her family and was always there for me and I honestly don't know what ill do without her.”
“The support has been crazy and I do feel a peace. I just don't have any words. I love you all,” he concluded.
Christina, 22, was shot dead during a meet and greet following her performance with the band Before You Exit. Approximately 120 people were inside the venue at the time.
The singer was immediately taken to hospital in critical condition but died from her wounds.
Her killer, Kevin James Loibl, is from St Petersburg, Florida and travelled across the state to target Grimmie, according to Orlando Police. Loibl had been carrying two guns, two loaded magazines and a hunting knife on himself during the shooting.
Tributes for Grimmie have flooded in from around the world since the news of her death first emerged. The singer amassed a following of millions after uploading her performances to her YouTube channel at the age of 15. After this, she went on to appear on The Voice's sixth season in 2014 and more recently started performing with punk rock band Before You Exit.
