The former blade runner-turned-convicted murderer was rushed from his prison cell to a South African hospital after experiencing what was reported to be chest pains.
According to the Citizen , the 30-year-old was taken to Kalafong Hospital in Pretoria, which is located outside the prison. The publication also stated that initial reports suggested Pistorius was suffering a heart attack. The former Paralympian was escorted by armed guards as he left for the emergency room.
Earlier, it was reported that Pistorius would be released from the hospital and go back to prison today. However, new reports from the Guardian state that Pistorius will be required to stay at the facility overnight to undergo further observation.
“We can state that offender Oscar Pistorius was taken to an outside hospital facility this morning for a medical examination,” Singabakho Nxumalo told the Citizen .
Pistorius initially began serving his prison sentence at Kgosi Mampuru II, but he was later moved to Atteridgeville since that prison is better equipped to handle prisoners with disabilities. He made his rise to fame by winning two gold medals in the Paralympics. Then, in 2012, the blade runner made history by becoming the first double amputee to run in the Olympics.
The former athlete has been behind bars for a year and is currently serving a six-year sentence for killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in 2013. Pistorius was initially convicted of manslaughter, but following an appeal, the conviction was changed to murder. The state claims that they will make a further appeal on the sentence, stating that six years in prison is far too lenient for the crime that Oscar was convicted of.
The chest-pain episode now marks the second time that Pistorius has had to leave jail for treatment. Last August, just one month into his prison sentence, Pistorius had to go to the hospital for a wrist injury after slipping and falling in his cell.
The Telegraph reported that initially , the media made claims that Pistorius’ injury was “self inflicted” and that he had tried to commit suicide inside his cell. His family immediately denied the claims and called them “completely untrue” and “sensational.” Pistorius’ uncle also told the news outlet that Oscar had just suffered a “couple of bruises” from the incident.
Do you think that a man so young could possibly have suffered a heart attack while in prison? Please let us know in the comments.
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