British police have arrested Matt Petgrave of the Sheffield Steelers in the manslaughter death of hockey player Adam Johnson, whose neck was slashed during a game in late October, according to the BBC.
Matt Petgrave appeared to kick the neck of the Nottingham Panthers’ Johnson with his skate during a game on October 28th. Johnson was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
A post-mortem examination confirmed he died as a result of a fatal neck injury, South Yorkshire Police said.
“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 Detective 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.
“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.”
BREAKING: Hockey player Matt Petgrave has reportedly been arrested for the death of Adam Johnson.
Johnson was killed after Petgrave’s skate slashed his neck during a hockey match.
According to the Daily Express, police in England have “arrested a man” on suspicion of… pic.twitter.com/S8bUAk8VIE
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 14, 2023
Johnson, 29, was a Minnesota native who played briefly with the Penguins in the NHL.