Man Arrested In Death of Hockey Player Adam Johnson, Whose Neck Was Cut During Game
The man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the death of professional hockey player Adam Johnson, whose neck was cut by a skate blade midgame last month, has been released on bail, police said on Wednesday.
Johnson was playing for the Nottingham Panthers when he was seriously injured during a game on Oct. 28. He was taken to a hospital in Sheffield, England, where he was later pronounced dead.
The 29-year-old player died of a fatal neck injury, according to a post-mortem examination.
South Yorkshire Police said an arrest had been made on Nov. 14, but officials did not identify the man who had been arrested. No charges have been filed in the case.
"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," South Yorkshire Detective Chief Superintendent Becs Horsfall said in a statement.
Horsfall added police have been speaking to "highly specialized experts in their field to assist" in the investigation after Johnson's death "sent shockwaves" throughout the community.
The question behind the investigation comes down to if any player's actions were an accident or criminal, experts said.
"Manslaughter cases invariably don’t have any intention to kill," Mark Stephens, a human rights lawyer, said on TODAY. "What has happened is that, through someone’s negligence or indeed their extreme negligence, they have caused the loss of somebody’s life."
Johnson's death has put a renewed spotlight on player safety during hockey games.
Tanyka Rawden, senior coroner for the west coroner area of South Yorkshire, wrote in a report she was "sufficiently concerned" that deaths may occur in the future if players do not wear neck guards or protectors.
The English Ice Hockey Association, which governs the sport below the Elite League, said it will require all players in England to wear neck guards starting in 2024.
Johnson, born in Minnesota, previously played for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019 and 2020.
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