Vernon Forrest dies in a car jacking attempt

[crow]

WSB News
Fmr. World Champion Boxer Murdered in Atl.
By
Jay Black
@ July 26, 2009 6:40 AM Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

(WSB Radio) Former boxing champion and U.S. Olympian Vernon Forrest was shot and killed in an attempted car jacking in Northwest Atlanta, a police spokesperson said.

Lt. Keith Meadows with the Atlanta police department told WSB Radio, Forrest was putting air in the tires of his Jaguar around 11 p.m. Saturday at a gas station on White Hall St. at McDaniel Blvd. Investigators said at least two men jumped out of a red Chevrolet Monte Carlo and tried to steal Forrest's car. The boxer had a gun and started running after the suspects.

"The victim and suspect became involved in a brief foot chase," Lt. Meadows said. "At some point, gunfire was exchanged between the two of them. The victim was shot at least once in the head."

Investigators said they are talking to several witness.

"At this point we have a general description of at least two black males driving a red Monte Carlo." Lt. Meadows said.

Police don't think the suspects knew Forrest was a professional boxer. His girlfriend's young son was in the car at the time of the shooting. Family members are flying in from Texas to pick up the child, Lt. Meadows said.

Forrest, who lived in Atlanta, was a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic team in Barcelona, Spain. He was a three-time champion with two WBC welterweight wins against Sugar Shane Mosley in 2002. Forrest, nicknamed the viper, beat Sergio Mora for the WBC junior middleweight title in September.

The Augusta, Ga. native was stripped of his WBC belt in May because of a rib injury. He was supposed to fight Sergio Martinez on August 1st.


http://wsbradio.com/localnews/2009/07/fmr-world-champion-boxer-murde.html


What's going on ?
Boxers are dropping like flies lately.

 

[The Sponge]

:sadwave: One of the nicer guys in the sport.

 

[Romi]

This is just unfcking real. Another boxing warrior cut down at an all too young age. What a sad state of affairs. His girlfriends son was in the car at the time of the attempted car jacking. I hope they get these thugs. RIP Vernon Forrest.

 

[gardenweasel]

good lord......wth is going on?...

i have to ask...why chase these criminals if you have a young child in the car?.....

 

[crow]

i have to ask...why chase these criminals if you have a young child in the car?.....

There you go.

 

[nj]

Oh no this one hurts the most, he was a really great guy, and just set himself up for a big payday fight.

He even replied to my messages. This is horrible

 

[nj]

Guys, just a few weeks ago, Nate Campbell heroically - and recklessly - chased down some thugs. He has several children. But because of the outcome, he's praised as a hero, while you guys question Forrest's decision-making for doing the same thing.

The child was not in any danger. The boy will miss Forrest's fatherly presence, but Forrest didn't endanger the boy's life.

Of course, the smart thing to do is to call the police, and let them handle it. But making "smart" decisions in a life-or-death situation isn't simple. Adrenalin and tunnel vision make it nearly impossible.

This is a man who fights for a living, he's not going to lay down and ask for someone else to protect him, even if it's the smart thing to do. He had a means to protect himself and didn't let some low-lifes try to punk him. Unfortunately it cost him his life.

 

[gardenweasel]

Guys, just a few weeks ago, Nate Campbell heroically - and recklessly - chased down some thugs. He has several children. But because of the outcome, he's praised as a hero, while you guys question Forrest's decision-making for doing the same thing.

The child was not in any danger. The boy will miss Forrest's fatherly presence, but Forrest didn't endanger the boy's life.

Of course, the smart thing to do is to call the police, and let them handle it. But making "smart" decisions in a life-or-death situation isn't simple. Adrenalin and tunnel vision make it nearly impossible.

This is a man who fights for a living, he's not going to lay down and ask for someone else to protect him, even if it's the smart thing to do. He had a means to protect himself and didn't let some low-lifes try to punk him. Unfortunately it cost him his life.

it`s not intended as a "slam" on forrest...just don`t think that ,with a child in his care,that this was the wisest decision that he could have made..


i`m sure that in the heat of the moment,things happen...

getting into a shoot-out,obviously,had a horrible outcome...

terrible news...getting sick of all this death..

god bless vernon...always liked him..

 

[weepaul]

RIP!!

Getting really sick of hearing this shit.

 

[SixFive]

well, if a child was in the car, and they were attempting to "jack" his car, then I would think he would fight back as hard as he could. Why would he want to stand back and give up his car and the baby in it?? What are u all thinking?


Sad deal here for this boxer and his family. :sadwave:

 

[kegray1]

Great guy who made an AWFUL DECISION!!!!!

If they are going to rob you then they are more than willing to shoot you.

 

[nj]

--

 

[gardenweasel]

well, if a child was in the car, and they were attempting to "jack" his car, then I would think he would fight back as hard as he could. Why would he want to stand back and give up his car and the baby in it?? What are u all thinking?


Sad deal here for this boxer and his family. :sadwave:

6`5"....i read that he chased the carjackers on foot after the fact...he was carrying and shots were exchanged....

i was just saying that after they fled,it might have been better to just call the cops....particularly with the young one in tow....:shrug:

very sad any way you shake it out....terrible news....

 

[matt19780]

One of my favorite fighters. His comeback win in the Baldomir fight was a clinic on boxing. And the two wins over Shane Mosley and actually putting Mosley down twice in the first fight were his signature wins. He will be deeply missed.
RIP Viper

 

[Ghost Kid]

Another soldier?!!?!!?!?
I wish I wasn't reading this
Unbelievable month
Terribly sad
R.I.P. Vernon

 

[kegray1]

pretty ignorant statement there. i doubt you have any evidence to back that up.

Just meant that he is a boxer and not a off duty cop.
Pulling out a gun and chasing 3 dudes in Atlanta which is a very violent town is never a good idea.

This is what happens when you take matters into your own hands.
He had a good idea of the car and a good look at the guys. All he had to do was leave and report it to the police.

And yes guys that car jack clearly have bad intentions is my evidence.

 

[nj]

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[nj]

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[kegray1]

Sorry should not have said rob you. Should have said car jack you.
Those guys are just flat out violent dudes more times than not.
Carl Landry got car jacked here in Houston earlier this year and they shot him even though he was willing to give up the car.

Maybe anger of getting jacked pushed his buttons but I think he kept his dignity the second he pulled his gun on them and stopped the attempt.

Also, he had no right to kill any of them once they fled and would have been prison bound had he actually been the one who killed one of them in the foot chase.
You can't just take revenge and kill somebody because the jacked you.

Sad story.

 

[gardenweasel]

those two wins over mosley are even more amazing now considering mosley is rapidly heading into bhop territory....

but,i`ll never understand why vernon didn`t just pick mayorga apart....

i guess the old axiom"styles make fights" was never more apparent...

seemed a class guy....great loss for boxing as he seemed to be having a rebirth professionally...