London – A man who was arrested on suspicion of homicide after the ice hockey player Adam Johnson was killed was informed that he would not be charged, the British prosecutors said on Tuesday.
Johnson played for the Nottingham Panthers and died shortly after his neck was cut during a game on October 28, 2023 in a collision with Sheffield Steeler's defender Matt Petgrave.
A man was arrested two weeks later, and although the police of South Yorkshire did not publicly identify him, Petgrave himself said in a crowdfunding profession for legal costs that he was the subject of a police investigation.
On Tuesday, the Crown Pralitial Service (CPS) decided that he would not raise criminal charges against the man, who described what he described as “shocking and deeply disturbing incident”.
“The police from CPS and South Yorkshire worked closely to determine whether criminal charges should be raised against the other ice hockey player involved,” said deputy prosecutor Michael Quinn.
Selection of the publisher
2 related
“After a thorough police investigation and a comprehensive review of all evidence of the CPS, we came to the conclusion that there is no realistic view of a conviction about a criminal offense, and there will therefore be no law enforcement. Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Adam Johnson.”
After his arrest, Petgrave had been beaten again several times while the investigation took place. His representative did not immediately answer a comment on Tuesday.
During the game, Johnson was thrown with the Puck in Sheffield's defense zone when Petgrave collided nearby with another Panthers player. Petgraves left skate increased when he started falling and the blade Johnson hit the throat.
Born in Hibbing, Minnesota, was declared dead in a nearby hospital. The death of the 29-year-old former Pittsburgh Penguins player triggered a debate about the sport of improving the security of the players.
Petgrave, a 33-year-old Canadian, had support from some teammates from Johnson. Victor Björzen had told a Swedish newspaper there that “there is no chance that it is intentionally”. Björkung had played the pass to Johnson and said he was traumatized by what he saw. He left the team as a result.
Johnson-one of the “Import” eater in the Elite Ice Hockey League-War in his first season in Nottingham to Stints in Germany and a handful of games for the penguins in the 2018-19 and 2019-20.
Johnson lived with fiance Ryan Wolfe and studied at the Loughborough Business School.
The English ice hockey association, which rules the sport below the Elite League, reacted to Johnson's death by having to wear all players in England from early 2024.
