Former Olympian killed by gunfire in argument in Alabama

Emmit King, a former Olympian and NCAA track superstar in the 1980s, was killed in a shootout with another man on Sunday in Bessemer, Ala. He was 62.

Police said they responded to the scene of a shooting around 3:40 p.m. on Sunday, where they found King and another man, Willie Albert Wells, of Birmingham, suffering from gunshot wounds, according to local NBC affiliate WVTM 13.

Both men died of their injuries, the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office confirmed on Monday.

The men knew each other and were arguing before pulling out their firearms, police told WVTM 13.

King was a U.S. athletic star in the 1980s. He ran for the University of Alabama, winning the national championship for the NCAA in the 100-meter race in 1983. In 1984 and 1988, King ran with the U.S. relay team in the Olympics. 

But King is best known for winning bronze in the first World Championships in Athletics in 1983.

The Olympic world reacted to the news of King’s death on Monday.

⚫️ RIP Emmit King 1959-2021

@WorldAthletics champs 4x100m 100m 1983

@NCAA 100m 1983
@usatf 100m 1988 60y 1984 55m 1988

PBs 100m 10.04 9.98w (1988) 200m 20.86 (1982)

1️⃣ @WorldAthletics Record 4×100 37.86 (1983)https://t.co/asVPnsDzby via @NBCOlympicTalk

— PJ Vazel (@pjvazel) November 29, 2021

An investigation into the shooting is ongoing, according to WVTM 13. The Hill has reached out to the Bessemer Police Department for comment.