Pro boxer Vernon Forrest fatally shot in Atlanta
By KATIE LESLIE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former professional boxer Vernon ?The Viper? Forrest was killed Saturday night when a robbery turned into a gunfire exchange, according to Atlanta Police.
Atlanta Police Detective Lt. Keith Meadows said Forrest was shot seven to eight times in the back after chasing one of the thieves.
The incident began at 11 p.m. at the Chevron on Whitehall Street in Southwest Atlanta when Forrest, 38, stopped to put air in the tires of his Jaguar, said Meadows.
A male suspect approached Forrest and robbed him of a few items at gunpoint, he said. Forrest, who was also armed, chased the suspect to an area near McDaniel and Fulton Streets.
Meadows said there is evidence Forrest used his weapon but did not know if the suspect was shot.
An 11-year-old boy was in the Chevron at the time of the robbery. The boy, who is the son of Forrest?s girlfriend, according to Meadows, was able to provide police with a description of the suspect.
Police are looking for that man and a second suspect who left in a red Monte Carlo, Meadows said.
The boy did not see the shooting, he added.
Forrest, a longtime Atlanta resident, started boxing at age 9 and won his first major title in 2001, when he defeated Raul Frank for the IBF welterweight title. He is a recent WBC middleweight champ and 1992 Olympian who had a 41-3 career record with 29 knockouts.
He achieved long-sought recognition with two wins over ?Sugar? Shane Mosley in 2002 that earned him the title of Ring Magazine?s Fighter of the Year.
?My goal, once I?m done, is to be considered one of the best boxers in my era,? Forrest told the AJC in 2007.
Al Mitchell, who first trained Forrest when he was an amateur and later as a pro, said Forrest was a guy who did everything right.
?He didn?t take drugs,? said Mitchell, who learned of the news through Forrest?s manager Charles Watson. ?He wasn?t involved with gangs. He lived his life the right way. He was a gentleman.?
Forrest beat Ricardo Mayorga in 2003 for the WBC welterweight title and WBA super welterweight title. In 2007, he won the WBC light middleweight title against Carlos Baldomir.
In his last major match-up, in 2008, he reclaimed his WBC 154-pound title at age 37 after battering his rival, 27-year-old Sergio Mora in a unanimous decision.
Mitchell says ?The Viper? was training to fight again.
?He told me his plan was to fight again in September and then fight for the title in December,? Mitchell said. ?He was supposed to call me this week with details.?
Forrest was also involved in charity work. He started Destiny?s Child Inc., which provided housing and assistance to mentally challenged adults.
?I trained a lot of kids ... and most of them are now teachers or doing something else,? said Mitchell. ?They?re all good role models. They understand what life is about. They take care of their family. Vernon was like that. He took care of his mother, his sister, his son. He took care of his friends. How can something like this happen? Just in the wrong place at the wrong time ? that?s all it was.?
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