Olympic boxing hopeful from North Philly charged with attempted murder
On his Team USA Boxing online profile, welterweight Paul Kroll listed his "mind and strength" as his greatest assets in the ring.
On his Team USA Boxing online profile, welterweight Paul Kroll listed his "mind and strength" as his greatest assets in the ring.
But on Saturday, police said, Kroll, 21, of the 2700 block of North Newkirk Street in North Philadelphia, used a gun and his aggression in a confrontation over an ex-girlfriend in West Philadelphia that led to a wild shootout among seven men, three of whom were injured.
The onetime Olympic boxing hopeful - his 2016 dreams were dashed during the final trials last month in Venezuela - now faces charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault, firearms violations, and related offenses, according to police.
"Now he's sitting in jail instead of in the ring boxing, like he should be," said Southwest Detectives Lt. John Walker.
According to Walker, Kroll confronted his ex-girlfriend about money Saturday morning while she was out getting breakfast with a 19-year-old neighbor. Kroll and three other men then got into a car and followed the woman and her neighbor back to their homes on the 100 block of South 55th Street.
The woman got into her house safely, but when the 19-year-old exited his vehicle, he was approached by Kroll and his friends - Cardell Hellams, 24, Gary Martin, 22, and a 15-year-old boy who is also a boxer, Walker said.
As the argument escalated, one of the men pointed a gun at the 19-year-old and tried to shoot him as he ran into the house, police said.
It was then that the 19-year-old's father and two brothers emerged from their home with a shotgun and two handguns and returned fire, Walker said.
Witnesses told police that during the shootout, Kroll and Hellams both fired the same gun, Walker said.
One of the 19-year-old's brothers remained in critical but stable condition Wednesday at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center with a gunshot wound to his stomach.
The 15-year-old whom Kroll brought to the shootout was hit by a bullet in his groin and was in stable condition but "still in pretty bad shape" at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Walker said.
Hellams was shot once in a leg and was listed in stable condition.
The 19-year-old's father and brothers were found to have acted in defense of their home and family, and will not face charges in the shooting, Walker said.
Hellams is facing the same criminal charges as Kroll. Martin was charged with obstructing justice and firearms violations for allegedly trying to hide the gun used in the shooting. The 15-year-old will not be charged, Walker said.
According to NBC's Olympics website, Kroll's final try at the Olympics was in July, when he lost a 3-0 decision to a German opponent.
Kroll graduated from Truebright Science Academy Charter School with honors and worked as an electrician when he wasn't boxing or training, according to a Daily News story about him in January.
Kroll told columnist Ronnie Polaneczky that his family has been his biggest supporters.
"They're so proud of me," he said, adding that he started boxing at 13.
"You've got to be serious and be careful, so you can have a long, fun career of beating the other person up," Kroll said.
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