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Former Olympic boxing medallist shot dead

Last Updated: Thursday, August 14, 2008 | 2:03 AM ET

Rhoshii Wells, right, won a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Rhoshii Wells, right, won a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. (Getty Images)

Boxer Rhoshii Wells, who won a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, was shot and killed Monday in Las Vegas. He was 31.

Las Vegas police were said to be actively searching for a person of interest in connection with the shooting, which took place at an apartment complex.

Wells took bronze in the 75-kilogram middleweight class at those Games, which took place in the city he where he grew up. He was defeated in the semifinals by Cuban Ariel Hernandez, who went on to win gold.

Wells was one of five U.S. boxers to win bronze at the Atlanta Olympics, a list that also included Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Antonio Tarver.

As a professional Wells could not reach the heights of teammates Tarver, Mayweather, Fernando Vargas and David Reid, the only gold medal winner for the U.S in Atlanta.

Wells was stopped in the 10th round by Mexico's Alejandro Garcia in a bid to win a world junior middleweight title in 2003. Garcia stopped him in five rounds in a rematch two years later.

Wells attempted a comeback on the 2007 edition of the boxing reality show The Contender, but did not make the final cut.

His pro record was 18-2-2, with 10 knockouts.

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