Man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over demise of American hockey participant Adam Johnson, police say

By George Ramsay | CNN

A person has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the demise of ice hockey participant Adam Johnson final month, South Yorkshire Police mentioned in a press release on Tuesday.

Johnson died after sustaining a lower to the neck whereas enjoying 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 now we have 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 mentioned in a police assertion.

“We now have 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 demise, which the Panthers described in a statement on October 29 as a “freak accident,” there was elevated concentrate on participant security in ice hockey, significantly on whether or not protecting neck guards must be extra broadly worn.

“Adam’s demise has despatched shockwaves via many communities, from our native residents right here in Sheffield to ice hockey followers internationally,” Horsfall mentioned.

Born in Hibbing, Minnesota, Johnson began his skilled profession within the American Hockey League earlier than progressing to the Nationwide Hockey League (NHL).