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Former Olympian Emmit King Reportedly Shot and Killed in Alabama

An argument in Alabama became dire last Sunday, ending with two men killing one another. One of the men in question was Emmit King, a former Olympian athlete.

Emmit King was 62 when he was shot on Sunday in Bessemer, Alabama. AL.com reported the incident, saying he and Willie Albert Wells both passed away after a shootout. Authorities state the men knew each other well and were arguing with one another that afternoon. At 3:40 p.m., gunfire erupted when both men pulled out weapons and began firing.

Medical professionals pronounced Wells dead at the scene at 3:59 p.m. Authorities took King to UAB West for treatment but he, unfortunately, passed away. Officials pronounced him dead at 4:40 p.m.

King graduated from Hueytown High School. Starring on the Alabama track team in the early 1980s, he was a national champion in the NCAA 100 meters by 1983. Additionally, he served on the United States Relay Team for the Summer Olympics in 1984 and 1988. What you may know him for most though is winning the bronze medal at the 1983 World Championships. There, he earned his medal in the men’s 100-meter dash.

As of now, it is unknown what the two men were arguing about and an investigation is still underway.

Olympic Sprinter Alex Quiñonez Died at 32 After Being Shot in his Hometown

Sadly, Emmit King wasn’t the only Olympian athlete involved in a tragedy recently. Olympic sprinter Alex Quiñonez also recently passed away after someone shot and killed him last month.

Both Quiñonez and a friend, Jojairo Arcalla, were shot in Guayaquil, Ecuador last month. Details are scarce, but El Universo, a local newspaper there, said a shootout killed the men on a street corner in the northwest part of the city. The investigation is still ongoing, as officials don’t currently know much else about the incident. Police have not announced any arrests thus far either.

Andrea Sotomayor, the secretary-general of the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee, gave her condolences and issued a statement on the matter, saying the incident “will not go unpunished.”

“I don’t have words to express the sadness, helplessness and indignation that is overwhelming me,” Sotomayor said. “Alex Quinonez was the synonym of humility and a clear example of resilience. His loss leaves us with pain in our chests.”

For those who don’t know, Quiñonez was a renowned Olympic sprinter. He became a national hero after making it to the 2012 200 meter final, where he raced alongside the legendary Usain Bolt. His feats don’t end there though, with him claiming a bronze medal at the Doha 2019 World Championships. He also won the Lima 2019 Pan American Games 200 meter title.

Often called “the greatest Ecuadorian sprinter of all time,” it was a tragic loss.

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