Olivia Burke
The sporting world has been left in shock after a professional ice hockey player died following a 'freak accident' during a game.
Nottingham Panthers star, Adam Johnson, passed away during a match against the Sheffield Steelers at the Utilita Arena on Saturday night (28 October).
The American hockey player was slashed in the neck during the derby clash, while more than 8,000 fans were watching from the sidelines.
Spectators were asked to leave the stadium in Sheffield following the 'major medical emergency'.
Advert
Witnesses described how players from both teams formed a ring around Johnson after he suffered the fatal injury.
The game was promptly paused in the 35th minute as medics rushed in to tend to the 29-year-old behind the privacy of screens on the ice.
He was rushed to Sheffield's Northern General Hospital, but sadly succumbed to his injuries.
Johnson's heartbroken mother Kari said: "I lost half of my heart tonight."
Advert
His team said in a statement: "Adam, our number 47, was not only an outstanding ice hockey player, but also a great teammate and an incredible person with his whole life ahead of him. The club will dearly miss him and will never ever forget him.
"The Panthers would like to send our thoughts and condolences to Adam's family, his partner, and all his friends at this extremely difficult time.
"Everyone at the club including players, staff, management, and ownership are heartbroken at the news of Adam's passing."
The Elite Ice Hockey League announced that all games on Sunday would be postponed in wake of the tragedy.
Advert
South Yorkshire Police said it was called to the arena at around 8.25pm on Saturday night, after reports that a player had been seriously injured.
Officers are said to have remained at the scene today.
Yorkshire Ambulance Service said in a statement last night: "We were called at 8:21 this evening to the Sheffield Steelers game at Sheffield arena.
"We attended a male and sent two ambulances and a critical care paramedic, and we sent one patient to hospital."
In a post shared on Twitter, the Panther's home ground, Nottingham Motorpoint Arena, paid tribute to Johnson.
Advert
It read: "Our heartfelt thoughts go out to Adam Johnson, his loved ones, all the Panthers players, staff, fans and the whole ice hockey community, following his horrific injury this evening."
Minnesota-born Johnson had made a name for himself in North America's National Hockey League (NHL), while playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He then played in Sweden for the Malmo Redhawks, before spells with Canada's Ontario Reign and Germany's Augsburger Panther.
Johnson joined the UK's Nottingham Panthers in August.