UK law officials are conducting an ongoing investigation into the tragic death of former NHL player Adam Johnson, a South Yorkshire Police report said Tuesday. Johnson, playing for the Nottingham Panthers in the UK-based Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), was fatally slashed in the neck from the blade of Sheffield Steelers’ Matt Petgrave’s skate. The police arrived on-scene Saturday after the incident, which was initially reported as a freak accident and stayed into Sunday morning investigating the matter. Detectives are now combing through footage and consulting with experts and witnesses to understand how it happened, as per The Daily Mail. “Since Saturday, detectives have been carrying out a range of enquiries including reviewing footage, talking to witnesses and seeking the advice and support of highly specialized experts to seek to understand the circumstances surrounding what happened,” the report reads. “Our officers have now left the scene, however due to the complex nature of this tragic and unprecedented incident, it is likely the wider investigation will take some time.”The police urged the public to “to avoid speculation, including on social media,” as they conduct the investigation and said law officials “will provide updates when appropriate.” “Our thoughts remain with the loved ones of all those affected,” the statement concludes.".London School of Economics legal professor Nicola Lacey told Newsweek how the investigation would proceed. “For manslaughter you need either gross negligence, a really large departure from normal standards of care such as to justify criminal liability; or an unlawful and dangerous act,” she said. “The latter [is] only likely if, for example, there had been a pretty flagrant breach of the sport's rules.”“If it was really a 'freak accident,' neither of those tests would be met and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) can only prosecute where there is a realistic chance of conviction.”“From what I have read on the news, it seems very unlikely the CPS would prosecute,” she said.
