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Who is Matt Petgrave? Internet divided over Nottingham Panthers player after his boot blade caused Adam Johnson's death

The incident, in which Nottingham Panthers player Matt Petgrave's boot blade accidentally caused the tragic death of Adam Johnson, has ignited a mix of emotions

LONDON, ENGLAND: A heartbreaking tragedy during a recent ice hockey game between the Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers has left the sports community in shock and mourning.

The incident, in which Nottingham Panthers player Matt Petgrave's boot blade accidentally caused the tragic death of Adam Johnson, has ignited a mix of emotions, ranging from sorrow and empathy to online hatred and calls for an investigation.

Horrifying accident

The calamity occurred at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield during the 35th minute of the game. Adam Johnson, a Sheffield Steelers player, lost his footing during a prior collision and found himself in a precarious situation.

In a freak accident, Matt Petgrave's raised left foot inadvertently slashed Johnson's throat.

Spectators at the arena were horrified as Johnson bled from his jersey. Despite his valiant attempt to move away from the scene, Johnson collapsed within moments.

Johnson's partner, whose name has not been immediately disclosed, ran onto the ice in Sheffield to pray for him as the match was ultimately abandoned.

In the aftermath of the incident, a wave of online outrage erupted, with some fans quick to blame Matt Petgrave for Adam Johnson's death. Some insisted the incident was "intentional" and called for an investigation, leading to heated discussions on social media platforms.

One comment posted on X read, "Literally an intentional kick. The full video aftermath is absolutely gut-wrenching to watch. This is voluntary manslaughter."

Another commenter offered a different perspective, stating, "I’ve never seen this happen to a player that’s upright. It typically only happens to players that are falling or goalies that are down. Only a rare time a player's skates might be that high is a rare hit where they flip over the hitter, and that’s not this. It looks very intentional."

The online backlash included calls for legal action, with one comment stating, "He should absolutely be charged," while another asserting, "I believe he was intentionally trying to hurt and/or take out an opposition player. Trying to intentionally murder the opposition player is extremely unlikely. It appears to be a manslaughter case."

"He should be in jail," someone else wrote.

Amid this controversy, a makeshift shrine in Nottingham saw an outpouring of tributes, including flowers, heartfelt messages, and a shirt with Adam Johnson's No 47.

Tina Taylor, a fan, visited the shrine and expressed sympathy for Matt Petgrave, stating, "It was a one-in-a-million chance occurrence and will probably never happen again. It was a complete freak accident. He was absolutely distraught by the death of an opponent, but it was a tragic accident and he was not to blame. The awful trolling must stop."

On social media, supporters empathized with Petgrave, offering their condolences and understanding of the difficult situation he finds himself in.

"Spare a thought for Matt Petgrave as well today guys. He must be feeling absolutely terrible. Complete and utter accident but he will need support through this more than most," one wrote.

"I can only imagine the pain he's in right now I really do hope he gets all the help and love he needs right now. My thoughts and love go to him and of course our Adam too," another added.

"Met Matt a few times & he’s a great guy… He will be inconsolable right now! It was a freak accident & he will need all the support. I don’t think he’ll play again. RiP Adam Johnson," someone else insisted.

"He was in pieces on the ice last night. My heart goes out to him. I don’t think he’ll ever get over what happened. Sending him lots of love," a comment read.

"Anyone who thinks this was premeditated during a game situation needs serious help and maybe needs to stay away from Netflix murder documentaries for the foreseeable," another reacted.

Amid the controversy and grief, South Yorkshire Police have initiated an investigation into the tragic death of Adam Johnson. They confirmed that officers were called to the Utilita Arena at 8.25 pm on October 28, when the injured player was taken to the hospital and later pronounced deceased.

"Officers attended the scene alongside other emergency services and one man, aged in his 20s, was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Sadly, he was later pronounced deceased at the hospital," a spokesperson said.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing. "Our officers remain at the scene carrying out inquiries today (29 October), and our investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident remains ongoing," the spokesperson added.