Man arrested for manslaughter of ice hockey player Adam Johnson killed during match
14 November 2023, 16:28 | Updated: 14 November 2023, 23:45
A man has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after ice hockey player Adam Johnson died during a game last month.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
His neck was cut by a skate as Nottingham Panthers played Sheffield Steelers.
South Yorkshire Police said officers arrested a man on suspicion of manslaughter on Tuesday and he remains in custody.
"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," Detective Chief Superintendent Becs Horsfall said.
"We have been speaking to highly specialised experts in their field to assist in our enquiries 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."
No further details were released.
Johnson, 29-year-old, was killed as he played for the Panthers against the Steelers on October 28.
His father Davey, his grandmother and his aunt, Kari, were watching on from their home in Minnesota.
The game was stopped with just over half an hour played and the crowd of 8,000 at the Sheffield Utilita Arena were told to leave the stadium.
Johnson, a former Pittsburgh Penguins player in the NHL, was described as a "great kid who really cared about people" and a "real down to earth guy".
He was laid to rest in his hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota earlier in November.
His fiancée, Ryan Wolfe, read a letter at the memorial service.
"You've been so amazingly supportive and kind to me since the day we met," she said.
"And I couldn't have been more grateful for it. I always thought that maybe if I was lucky enough, after a lifetime together, that I might start to be more like you.
"You're such a special person, you have the best sense of humour, the biggest heart, the quickest wit and the kindest soul. You're unbelievably loyal, dedicated and smart. You're so, so smart.
"Whether it came to school or life in general, you just seem to have it all figured out, which gave me so much peace and comfort, and made me feel like we could do anything, or be anything, and we'd be OK. We'd be happy."
