Olympic sprinter from the Bahamas, Shavez Hart, is shot dead after trying to break up an argument outside a nightclub at 2am
- Shavez Hart, 29, was killed trying to stop a group of men fighting outside a nightclub on Saturday in Mount Hope in the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas
- One of the men involved in the altercation reportedly shot Hart in the chest
- Hart, who competed in the Rio 2016 Olympics, later died in hospital
Bahamas Olympic sprinter Shavez Hart was shot dead after trying to break up a row outside a nightclub at 2am – just four days before his 30th birthday.
Hart, 29, was killed while trying to stop a group of men from fighting in the parking lot of a nightclub in Mount Hope in the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas in the early hours of Saturday morning.
One of the men involved in the altercation reportedly exited the parking lot and retrieved a gun from his car before shooting Hart in the chest.
Hart, who competed in the Rio 2016 Olympics and has a wife and son, was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He would have turned 30 on Tuesday.
According to local media, a suspect was later arrested and taken into police custody.
Bahamian Olympic sprinter Shavez Hart (pictured in 2018) was shot dead after trying to break up an argument outside a nightclub at 2am – just four days before his 30th birthday
29-year-old Hart (pictured right during the 2013 IAAF World Athletics Championships) was killed trying to stop a group of men from entering the parking lot of a nightclub in Mount Hope in the Abaco Islands in the early hours of the morning Bahamas to fight Saturday morning.
Hart’s mother, Shammaine Hart, told the Nassau Guardian: “He was such a good son – very calm and always willing to help. He did a lot of work in the community and always tried to give something back. I will surely miss him.’
Paying tribute to Hart, the country’s Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said the Bahamas is “blessed to have a great athlete to carry our flag around the world.”
Davis said on Twitter, “On behalf of my family and the people of the Bahamas, I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family of Shavez Hart.
“As a country we are blessed to have a great athlete to carry our flag around the world. Ann and I will keep the Shavez family in our thoughts and prayers.’
Bahamas Sports Minister Mario Bowleg said: “It is with great sadness that I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Olympian Shavez Hart!”
Hart was an eight-time Bahamas champion in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprint.
He qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics with a time of 10.10 seconds in the 100 meter sprint – a personal best that meant he became the third fastest Bahamian of all time.
Hart had previously attended Texas A&M University where he competed in track events.
He competed at the 2013 CAC Championships, winning the gold medal in the 4x100m relay in Morelia, Mexico.
