California man Corey Poole dies playing ‘punching game’ with friend

  • Corey Poole died on Saturday after playing the punching game with a friend
  • The 27-year-old was celebrating St Patrick’s Day with pals at a San Diego bar  
  • Poole and a friend were punching each other in the chest when Poole collapsed
  • The restaurant chef was pronounced dead at the hospital, authorities said
  • The friend was also hospitalized after complaining of chest pains, police said
  • The friend has been detained but was not arrested or charged over his death 

A California man died while out celebrating St Patrick’s Day when a friend punched him in the chest during a ‘punching game’.  

Corey Poole, 27, was with a group of friends at Jolt’n Joe’s Gaslamp sports bar in San Diego on Saturday around 1am when Poole and friend started sparring. 

Police said Poole, a restaurant chef, and one of his friend’s were playing the ‘punching game’, where they take turns punching each other in the chest. One of the punches Poole received caused him to collapse.

Corey Poole died on Saturday when a friend punched him in the chest while playing the ‘punching game’ 

Police said the incident happened at Jolt'n Joe's Gaslamp sports bar in San Diego 

Police said the incident happened at Jolt’n Joe’s Gaslamp sports bar in San Diego 

He was taken to the hospital where he died, the San Francisco Gate reports. Police said both men had been drinking. 

Authorities said Poole and his friend, who was not identified, were ‘consensually sparring’. So far, the friend has not been arrested or charged. 

Christian Cook, a friend of Poole’s, told NBC 7 that the two men had agreed to hit each other on the body, avoiding the groin and face.

The game is similar to the ‘Knockout game’, where a person or group of people, usually teens, try to knock out an unsuspecting victim with one punch. 

Corey Poole

Corey Poole dies

The 27-year-old was out celebrating St Patrick’s Day with friends at a San Diego sports bar when Poole and a friend started sparring. One of the punches caused Poole to collapse 

Sean Kisner, the director of operations at Jolt’n Joes’, told NBC 7 that Poole had been attending a friend’s St Patrick’s Day birthday party and appeared to be having a good time before the incident.

Police said Poole’s friend was also hospitalized after complaining of chest pains. 

The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office will perform an autopsy on Poole to determine a cause and manner of death.  



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