Two days after the shocking death of hockey player Adam Johnson, police in England say the investigation into the play that inflicted fatal injuries on the 29-year-old Minnesotan is ongoing.
South Yorkshire Police issued a new statement Monday saying: “Our officers remain at the scene carrying out enquiries and our investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident remain ongoing.”
The department added: “We would encourage the public to avoid speculation regarding the incident while we continue our enquiries.”
Johnson, a native of Hibbing on Minnesota’s Iron Range, was skating up the ice when he was hit in the neck by the skate blade of Matt Petgrave.
Immediately after the injury, Johnson was treated by paramedics on the ice. Reporters at the scene said players formed a circle around Johnson before screens provided cover and the 8,000 fans in attendance were asked to leave the building.
South Yorkshire Police confirmed that Johnson was pronounced dead after being transported to a local hospital.
Johnson played for the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League based in England. The team said Sunday that Johnson died in a “freak accident.”
A team supporter told the Daily Mail that Petgrave, of the Sheffield Steelers, is “distraught” and has been “receiving vile messages online.”
Johnson was born in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and grew up in Hibbing, where he led his high school team to the prestigious state tournament in 2011. He was a Mr. Hockey finalist in 2012-13 and later starred for two seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where in 2017 he scored the winning goal in overtime to lead the Bulldogs to the Frozen Four.
