Christina Grimmie’s Family Files Lawsuit Against AEG Live, Orlando Venue Over Singer’s Death
Christina Grimmie's family has filed a lawsuit against AEG Live over the 22-year-old singer's death on June 10 when she was fatally shot during a meet and greet following a concert in Orlando.
Christina Grimmie‘s family has filed a lawsuit against AEG Live over the 22-year-old singer’s death on June 10 when she was fatally shot during a meet and greet following a concert in Orlando.
The Grimmie family’s suit was filed Tuesday (Dec. 20) in Florida and also names The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra Plaza Foundation, which owns the Plaza Live venue where Grimmie shot, as well as the security company working the event. In it, Grimmie’s father, mother and brother allege wrongful death and negligent infliction of emotional distress caused from Christina’s death, saying the defendants “failed to take adequate security measures to ensure the safety of the performers and the attendees at the concert venue.”
The lawsuit claims that only “superficial bag checks” were performed on attendees, rather than any body pat downs or the use of metal detectors that would have provided some safeguard against concertgoers bringing weapons into the theater. The man who killed Grimmie, Kevin Loibl, entered the venue with two 9mm Glock handguns, two full magazines and a large hunting knife, the suit states. Grimmie was shot three times before he was temporarily subdued by her brother Marcus and then took his own life.
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Grimmie’s family had committed itself to supporting her ambitions and as the suit explains Grimmie’s own career milestones, it also illustrates her parents’ (Albert and Tina Grimmie) and brother’s commitment to supporting her — and their own financial investments. They all moved to Los Angeles from 2012–2013 and, according to the suit, Grimmie “provided financial support to her parents.” Her brother, Marcus, also worked as her road and co-tour manager.
While the Plaza Theater has previously implemented more serious security measures for some past events, it did not for Grimmie’s concert, the suit states. That decision came despite that more than 40 percent of Florida households contain at least one fire arm — giving reason to believe that concert attendees might bring firearms with them if prohibitive security measures are not put in place. The suit also states the theater’s general manager of six years had been fired nine days before the shooting and replaced with a new general manager who had only a week’s experience working there.
All three defendants, Grimmie’s family asserts, owed a duty to protect the concert’s performers and its attendants and failed: “The death of Christina was caused by the negligent and culpable conduct of the defendants who failed to provide adequate security measures to protect Christina at the Plaza Live Theater on June 10, 2016.”
As individuals and on behalf of Grimmie’s estate, Grimmie’s family requests a recovery the future support the singer would have provided to her family members, the singer’s projected income after taxes had she lived to normal life expectancy and any and all medical and funeral expenses paid. Grimmie’s parents, Albert and Tina, are also requesting damages for their mental pain and suffering from Grimmie’s death. Her brother, Marcus, is requesting compensation for the physical and emotional trauma Grimmie’s death caused, as well.
The Grimmies are requesting a jury trial. There has been no response and no date has yet been set for any hearings.