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Adam Johnson — seen right here taking part in for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019 — died final month after sustaining a neck reduce throughout a recreation in England.
CNN
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A person has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the dying of ice hockey participant Adam Johnson final month, South Yorkshire Police stated in a press release on Tuesday.
Johnson died after sustaining a reduce to the neck whereas taking part in for the Nottingham Panthers towards the Sheffield Steelers in England on October 28.
A Sheffield coroner’s report discovered that the 29-year-old “sustained an incised wound to the neck attributable to the skate of one other participant” and later died in hospital because of the harm.
“Our investigation launched instantly following this tragedy and we’ve got been finishing up in depth enquiries ever since to piece collectively the occasions which led to the lack of Adam in these unprecedented circumstances,” detective chief superintendent Becs Horsfall stated in a police assertion.
“We’ve been chatting with extremely specialised specialists of their area to help in our enquiries and proceed to work intently with the well being and security division at Sheffield Metropolis Council, which is supporting our ongoing investigation.”
The police assertion added that the person arrested stays in custody.
Following Johnson’s dying, which the Panthers described in a assertion on October 29 as a “freak accident,” there was elevated give attention to participant security in ice hockey, notably on whether or not protecting neck guards needs to be extra broadly worn.
“Adam’s dying has despatched shockwaves by way of many communities, from our native residents right here in Sheffield to ice hockey followers the world over,” Horsfall stated.
Born in Hibbing, Minnesota, Johnson began his skilled profession within the American Hockey League earlier than progressing to the Nationwide Hockey League (NHL).
He featured in 13 video games over two years for the Pittsburgh Penguins and likewise performed in Sweden and Germany earlier than becoming a member of the Panthers for the 2023-24 season.
In an on-line obituary, Johnson’s household remembered him as a “considerate, affected person and genuinely genuine” one that “took pleasure within the small, on a regular basis issues.”
Members of the ice hockey neighborhood the world over have paid tribute to the ahead, together with within the metropolis of Nottingham, the place followers have laid flowers exterior the Motorpoint Area.
Police stated on Tuesday that officers are supporting Johnson’s household whereas the investigation into his dying stays ongoing.
