Police in England have made an arrest concerning the on-ice incident that led to the death of a former NHL player in an Elite Ice Hockey League game late last month.
According to CNN and ESPN, the South Yorkshire Police have announced they have arrested a man on suspicion of manslaughter as part of an ongoing investigation.
“Officers investigating the death of Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson have made an arrest,” a statement from the police read on social media on Tuesday. “Detectives have today arrested a man on suspicion of manslaughter. He remains in police custody at this time.”
Former NHL forward Adam Johnson was injured during the second period of a game between the Nottingham Panthers and the Sheffield Steelers when an opposing player struck him as he crossed the blue line into the offensive zone on October 28.
The hit was controversial as the player seemed to go out of his way to injure Johnson, and his skate-blade violently caught the American in the neck upon landing.
Both teams were removed from the ice, and fans were asked to exit the arena as Johnson received treatment on the ice before being taken to Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, where he later died. The league also canceled games the next day and the next game on Nottingham’s schedule.
His death was described as a “freak accident” in the immediate aftermath, but new information appears to have come to light during the investigation.
“Our investigation launched immediately following this tragedy and we have been carrying out extensive inquiries ever since to piece together the events which led to the loss of Adam in these unprecedented circumstances,” South Yorkshire chief superintendent Becs Horsfall said in a statement.
“We have been speaking to highly specialized 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,” Horsfall said.
