LONDON — A man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the death of ice hockey player Adam Johnson has been told he will not face any charges, British prosecutors said Tuesday.
Johnson played for the Nottingham Panthers and died shortly after his neck had been sliced in a collision with Sheffield Steelers defenseman Matt Petgrave during a game on Oct. 28, 2023.
A man was arrested two weeks later and though South Yorkshire Police did not publicly identify him, Petgrave himself said in a crowdfunding appeal for legal fees that he was the subject of a police investigation.
On Tuesday, the Crown Prosecution Service announced it would not bring criminal charges against the man arrested following what it described as ''a shocking and deeply upsetting incident.''
''The CPS and South Yorkshire Police have worked closely together to determine whether any criminal charges should be brought against the other ice hockey player involved," Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Michael Quinn said.
''Following a thorough police investigation and a comprehensive review of all the evidence by the CPS, we have concluded that there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offense and so there will not be a prosecution. Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Adam Johnson.''
After his arrest, Petgrave had been re-bailed several times while the investigation took place. His representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
During the game, Johnson had skated with the puck into Sheffield's defensive zone when Petgrave collided with another Panthers player nearby. Petgrave's left skate elevated as he began to fall and the blade hit Johnson in the neck.
