South Yorkshire Police said in a statement on Tuesday that a man has been taken into custody on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the death of ice hockey player Adam Johnson last month. On October 28, while playing for the Nottingham Panthers against the Sheffield Steelers in England, Johnson suffered a cut to his neck and passed away.
The 29-year-old “sustained an incised wound to the neck caused by the skate of another player,” according to a Sheffield coroner’s report, and he subsequently passed away in the hospital from the wound.
“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 in a police statement.
The Nottingham Panthers are truly devastated to announce that Adam Johnson has tragically passed away following a freak accident at the game in Sheffield last night. pic.twitter.com/lhSOkDu03Q
— The Nottingham Panthers (@PanthersIHC) October 29, 2023
“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.”
The apprehended male is still being held in jail, according to the police statement. In the wake of Johnson’s passing, which the Panthers called a “freak accident” in a statement on October 29, there has been a greater emphasis on ice hockey player safety, specifically on whether or not more people should wear protective neck guards.
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“Adam’s death has sent shockwaves through many communities, from our local residents here in Sheffield to ice hockey fans across the world,” Horsfall said.
Johnson began his professional career in the American Hockey League before moving on to the National Hockey League (NHL). Johnson was born in Hibbing, Minnesota. Before joining the Panthers for the 2023–24 season, he played in Sweden and Germany and appeared in 13 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins over two years.
Johnson’s family described him as a “thoughtful, patient, and genuinely authentic” guy who “took pleasure in the small, everyday things” in an online obituary.
People who play ice hockey all over the world have shown their support for the forward, including Nottingham residents who have placed flowers outside the Motorpoint Arena. According to a police statement on Tuesday, Johnson’s family is receiving help from the police while the investigation into his death is still ongoing.
