Dennis Ten, a figure skater who won an Olympic Bronze medal in 2014, was stabbed to death in a robbery gone wrong in Almaty, Kazakhstan Thursday.
The 25-year-old was taken to the hospital after he was attacked by two men who were attempting to steal mirrors from his car, the Russian and Khazak news media reported. He lost a significant amount of blood and died several hours later, according to the report.
“Denis Ten caught two unidentified persons trying to steal mirrors from his car,” The Almaty Department of Internal Affairs said. ““As a result of a brawl, citizen Denis Ten was stabbed. An investigation has been initiated and measures are being taken to identify and detain suspects.”
Born in Almaty to Korean parents, Ten moved to Moscow at age 10 to train in figure skating, then later to Southern California to work with American coach Frank Carroll. He came to prominence in 2013 after winning a silver medal at the World Championships, which he followed up by winning a bronze medal at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. This year at the Olympics in South Korea, Ten was hobbled by injuries and finished 27th.
Lori Nichol, a choreographer who worked with Ten said she was sometimes moved by his passion.
“The way his blade touches the ice and the way he moves his body through space on the ice is highly individual,” she said. ““And his passion is not just throwaway passion. It’s this really deep, profound passion, and when he lets it out, I’ve been reduced to tears in practice sometimes because, oh my God, I get blown away. I’ve worked at a high level and never seen anyone like it.”