Police from across the pond have made an arrest in connection with the terrible death of hockey player Adam Johnson, who was cut by a blade during a game two weeks ago.
Johnson, 29, a forward with England’s Elite Ice Hockey League Nottingham Panthers, was fatally injured when an opponent’s skate slit his throat during a Nottingham Panthers game against the Sheffield Steelers.
Matt Petgrave, a Sheffield Steelers player whose skate cut Johnson, was reportedly detained by South Yorkshire Police and charged with manslaughter, according to nJoe Warmingto of The Toronto Sun. Police overseas have not identified the detainee, but the suspect was released on bond on Wednesday.
The tragedy, widely regarded in the hockey community as little short of a sad accident, sent shockwaves around the globe. Petgrave, 31, a Black guy, has faced racial harassment in the weeks since the incident.
Oilersnation inspected video of the event, but it was considered too gruesome to share. Petgrave attempted to lay a body check on an opposing player, but his skates rose up, clipping Johnson in the throat. Johnson fought to get to his feet as Petgrave skated away with his hands over his face, until a teammate arrived to assist him. As he skated towards the bench, blood could be visible on his shirt.
South Yorkshire Police Detectif ve f Becs Horsfall told the BBC that the force had been “carrying out significant inquiries to piece together the events which led to Adam’s death in these extraordinary circumstances.”
“We have been speaking with highly specialized specialists in their field to assist with our inquiries, and we continue to work closely with Sheffield City Council’s health and safety department, which is assisting our ongoing inquiry,” Horsfall said.
Dr. Victoria Silverwood, a criminologist specializing in sports violence, wrote on Twitter Tuesday that it is “standard procedure that a person whose activities lead to an unforeseen fatality may be detained in order for information to be gathered” and “possibly for limits to be put in place.” Silverwood stated that the process could take months or years, and that “one arrest does not mean guilt,” nor does “even a criminal charge equal guilt.”
Stephen Halloran, a criminal defence solicitor and managing director at Lawtons Solicitors in London, told the Associated Press that manslaughter investigations in England and Wales are “not straightforward,” and that they can range from an offense resembling an accident to one falling short of murder.
Incidents such as the one that killed Johnson and resulted in a subsequent charge are not without precedent. Giacinto “Jim” Boni was charged with culpable homicide in 1992, when he struck Miran Schrott with his stick, resulting in a cardiac episode that killed him.
