Kazakh figure skater and 2014 Olympic bronze medalist Denis Ten died on Thursday after a stabbing incident in the streets of Almaty, Kazakhstan, local media reported. He was 25.

The attack by two unknown men at around 3 p.m. left Ten with a thigh wound that was ultimately fatal despite three hours of emergency procedures at a hospital, according to Kazinform news agency, which also quoted the country's sports minister Arystanbek Mukhamediuly as calling it "an unthinkable tragedy and irreparable loss."

It was additionally reported that the incident, which authorities are treating as a murder case, began with the men allegedly trying to steal a mirror from Ten's car.

The skater's many admirers expressed shock and sadness in their immediate responses on social media.

(Ten performs at the Pyeonchang Winter Olympics in South Korea in February)

"This sudden news breaks my heart," tweeted Japan's Shizuka Arakawa, a gold medalist in women's figure skating at the 2006 Olympics. "I can't believe it...I don't want to believe it. I keep thinking of (Ten's) bright, kind, smiling face."

Also on Twitter, Sochi silver medalist Patrick Chan of Canada called Ten "one of the most beautiful skaters to have graced our sport."

"I feel so lucky to have made memories with Denis that I will cherish forever," he added.

Ten, born in Kazakhstan to a family of Korean descent, was his country's most prominent figure skater, earning podium finishes at the World Figure Skating Championships in both 2013 and 2015 in addition to a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

His achievement in Sochi made him the first figure skater from Kazakhstan to win an Olympic medal.

(Ten (R) is pictured with his bronze medal alongside Japan's gold medal winner Yuzuru Hanyu at the Sochi Olympics in February, 2014)