Police have arrested a man on suspicion of manslaughter in the on-ice death of Adam Johnson, the former NHL player who was cut in the neck by a skate blade during an Oct. 28 game in England.
The 29-year-old Johnson was playing for the Nottingham Panthers against the Sheffield Steelers in an Elite Ice Hockey League game, when he was cut by Steelers defenseman Matt Petgrave’s skate blade.
Authorities for the South Yorkshire Police announced the arrest of a man on Tuesday, but that man was not identified. The statement only said that the charge is suspicion of manslaughter and that the man is still in police custody.
‘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 statement.
‘We have been speaking to highly specialised experts in their field to assist in our enquiries 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. We know these communities will expect us to handle this investigation with the same professionalism, fairness and sensitivity as any other and request that members of the public refrain from comment and speculation which could hinder this process. Our thoughts remain with all affected by this devastating incident as enquiries continue.’
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At the time of the incident, South Yorkshire police said it was standard procedure to investigate all cases involving sudden death, and warned the public not to speculate about the details of the case.