Olympic figure skater Denis Ten, 25, was stabbed to death in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Thursday.

Ten, who earned a bronze medal at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi and was a two-time world medalist, died of stab wounds after confronting thieves who were stealing his car mirrors on a street in Almaty, Kazakh Minister of Culture said in a Facebook post. Doctors attempted surgery, but were unable to save the Olympic skater.

Born in Almaty, with Korean heritage, Ten was an athlete of the world. He trained in Moscow as well as in California and competed in three Olympic Games. Ten was only the second singles skater to represent Kazakhstan at the Olympics.

Stunned figure skaters whom he had befriended during his long competitive career from around the world expressed grief and disbelief at Ten’s passing on social media.

Source: time.com