Police in the United Kingdom arrested a man Tuesday on suspicion of manslaughter in the death of American hockey player Adam Johnson, WPXI reported.
Johnson, who played for England’s Nottingham Panthers, died last month after being injured during a game, according to WPXI. His neck was cut in a collision as the Panthers faced off against the Sheffield Steelers, the news station reported.
The injury happened Oct. 28, according to police. Johnson, 29, was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Authorities determined his cause of death was “a fatal neck injury.”
The suspect, whose name was not released, was in custody Tuesday, South Yorkshire Police said.
“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 in a statement. She asked that people “refrain from comment and speculation which could hinder” the investigation.
Last month, league officials called Johnson’s injury a “freak accident.” The Panthers have since launched a GoFundMe campaign, with his family’s permission, to support charities serving his hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota.
“Adam, our number 47, was not only an outstanding ice hockey player, but also a great teammate and an incredible person with his whole life ahead of him,” team officials wrote last month in a statement. “The Club will dearly miss him and will never ever forget him.”
The Nottingham Panthers are truly devastated to announce that Adam Johnson has tragically passed away following a freak accident at the game in Sheffield last night. pic.twitter.com/lhSOkDu03Q
— The Nottingham Panthers (@PanthersIHC) October 29, 2023
Before moving to England, Johnson played three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, WPXI reported. He also played for teams in Sweden and Germany, according to BBC News.
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