Man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after UK ice hockey player’s death
LONDON – A man has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the death of Nottingham Panthers ice hockey player Adam Johnson, who died after suffering serious injuries during a match in October, British police confirmed on Tuesday.
Police said the man, whose name was not released, remained in police custody.
Johnson, 29, suffered a fatal injury when his neck was cut by the blade of another player, Matt Petgrave, during the match against Sheffield Steelers in Sheffield, northern England.
Video replays showed he fell to the ice following the collision and then attempted to skate to the bench while holding his neck. However, blood was gushing out as he struggled to keep his balance.
The American, who joined the club in August having previously played in Germany and Sweden as well as in the United States’ National Hockey League (NHL), later died in hospital.
The assumption is that Petgrave is the man who was arrested but it has not been officially revealed.
A post-mortem examination confirmed Johnson’s cause of death as a neck injury but initial reports were that his death was accidental.
“Our investigation launched immediately following this tragedy and we have been carrying out extensive enquiries ever since to piece together the events which led to the loss of Adam in these unprecedented circumstances,” detective chief superintendent Becs Horsfall said.
“We have been speaking to highly specialised experts in their field to assist in our inquiries and continue to work closely with the health and safety department at Sheffield City Council, which is supporting our ongoing investigation.
“Adam’s death has sent shockwaves through many communities, from our local residents here in Sheffield to ice hockey fans across the world.”
The coroner overseeing the inquest has called for neck guards to be made mandatory in the wake of the death, which Johnson’s club described as a “freak incident”.
The UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League has said it will not enforce wearing of the safety equipment but would “strongly encourage” players and officials to wear them.
The English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA), in a change to regulations, has said the guards will become mandatory from 2024, but the Elite League, which includes the Panthers, is not under the governing body’s control.
The NHL said it had no comment on the development related to the arrest.
The Panthers will host an “Adam Johnson Memorial Game” on Nov 18 when members of the team will wear a specially commissioned “AJ47“ memorial jersey.
The club also paid tribute to Johnson by painting a message on the ice at their home ground reading: “Adam Johnson Forever our 47”. - REUTERS, AFP
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