Illinois Man Dies After Trying to Remove Pacemaker

Nov. 01--A man living in a group home in the Uptown neighborhood died Monday night after he tried to remove his heart pacemaker from his chest, officials said.

Channing Askew, 47, of the 4700 block of North Winthrop, was pronounced dead at 11:33 p.m. at Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Chicago Fire Department paramedics were called to the home after the man told a worker in the group home that he was experiencing chest pains and asked them to call an ambulance.

After the worker called for the ambulance, Askew returned to his room where he remained until paramedics arrived, police said.

When they did, he complained to them about chest pains and was then taken to the ambulance where he fell unconscious, police said.

As paramedics were trying to revive him, they took off his shirt and discovered he had a puncture wound on the upper left side of his chest, police said.

At some point police were called when it became apparent that the man had been stabbed, police said.

After the man was taken to the hospital, a doctor told police that the man had apparently tried to remove his pacemaker himself, police said. It was not known what the man used in that attempt.

An autopsy is scheduled for today.

The man may have had underlying mental and medical issues, police said. A representative of the group home could not provide any information.

chicagobreaking@tribune.com

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