Rising star Christina Grimmie, 22, was shot and killed by a 27-year-old man while signing autographs at a concert hall in Orlando, Florida, on Friday (June 10).
Authorities say they are trying to determine if the killer knew the singer or was a deranged fan. Kevin James Loibl opened fire on Grimmie, and then shot himself.
The shooting was reminiscent of other similarly shocking attacks on celebrities over the years. Here’s a look at some of these cases.
1. MAYU TOMITA
The 20-year-old Japanese pop star was left fighting for her life after being stabbed dozens of times in the neck and chest by 27-year-old Tomohiro Iwazaki at a small concert venue in Tokyo on May 21 this year.
Thankfully, Iwazaki had missed all her vital organs. Sources said Tomita regained consciousness last Friday (June 10).
Tomita had reportedly complained to police that her attacker was posting obsessive online comments about her before the attack, with Iwazaki telling police he became angry at the star when she returned a gift he sent her.
2. GIANNI VERSACE
The famed Italian designer, who founded his eponymous luxury fashion company in 1978, was killed on the steps of his Florida home on July 15, 1997, at the age of 50.
Versace had been returning from a morning walk when 27-year-old college drop-out Andrew Cunanan shot him twice with a pistol.
The reason for the killing was never uncovered after Cunanan committed suicide.
3. SELENA QUINTANILLA-PEREZ
The 23-year-old Mexican-American singer best known as Selena was gunned down by the founder of her fan club in a Texas motel room on March 31, 1995.
Yolanda Saldívar, now 55, was reportedly Selena’s biggest fan but their relationship soured when it was discovered that she had been embezzling money as manager of the singer’s clothing boutique.
She was sentenced to life in prison.
4. MONICA SELES
Seles, then the world’s top-ranked female tennis player, was stabbed between her shoulder blades by Gunter Parche, who had ran on-court during her quarterfinal match in Hamburg on April 30, 1993.
Parche, said to be a rabid fan of Seles’ tennis rival Steffi Graf, was found to be mentally disturbed and sentenced to two years’ probation.
It took Seles, who was born in Yugoslavia (now Serbia) – she is now a US citizen – two years to return to competitive action after the incident.
5. REBECCA SHAEFFER
The American model and actress was gunned down by stalker Robert Bardo at the door of her Los Angeles apartment on July 18, 1989. Schaeffer was only 21.
Bardo, then 19, had allegedly stalked Schaeffer for three years. He wrote letters to her and also attempted to meet with her on the set of a sitcom she was filming. He was sentenced to life in prison for his crime.
Schaeffer’s death also reportedly triggered tougher anti-stalking laws.
6. JOHN LENNON
The former Beatle, 40, was shot multiple times outside his New York apartment by troubled fan John David Chapman on Dec 8, 1980. Lennon was rushed to hospital but died from his injuries.
Chapman, who was then 25 and a security guard from Hawaii, pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Reports said he has been denied parole eight times and is currently held in New York’s Wende Correctional Facility.
This article was first published on June 12, 2016.
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