On October 28, 2023, before 8,000 spectators at
Utilita Arena during a game against the
Sheffield Steelers, Johnson's throat was cut by the skate of Steelers player
Matt Petgrave during an on-ice collision at the 35th minute of the game. A video of the incident showed Petgrave's left skate kick up towards Johnson as he began to fall after colliding with another Panthers player. After the impact, Johnson attempted to skate to the team bench while bleeding heavily but collapsed on the ice. As paramedics tended to his injury, other players locked arms to form a protective ring around him. Later, protective sheets were raised and players returned to the locker rooms. The game was abandoned and spectators were asked to leave the arena. He was transferred to Sheffield's
Northern General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. In response to Johnson's death, the EIHL suspended all games scheduled for October 29. Leagues and teams worldwide issued statements mourning his death and held pre-game ceremonies in his honor. A fan fundraising campaign to support Johnson's family surpassed its initial goal of £5,000 within a few hours, and its adjusted goal of £10,000 the same day. Following Johnson's death, hundreds of fans assembled outside
Nottingham Arena, the home rink of the Panthers, alongside Panthers players and staff to lay flowers and other tributes in a makeshift memorial. In a statement on
Twitter, the Nottingham Panthers said that his death was the result of a "freak accident". The
South Yorkshire Police opened an investigation into the death. In England, an act that intends to cause
grievous bodily harm to a person but results in their death can constitute
murder; in such a case, a lesser
constructive manslaughter charge is also available to prosecutors. An autopsy report confirmed that Johnson died from the wound to his neck. On November 14, 17 days after the incident, South Yorkshire Police announced the arrest of an unnamed man, later revealed to be Petgrave, on suspicion of
manslaughter in Johnson's death. He was later released on
police bail. Petgrave was re-bailed several times over the next year due to the investigation. On April 29, 2025, the
Crown Prosecution Service announced that there was no reasonable chance of a conviction, and closed the case without bringing charges. In September 2024, Nottingham Panthers announced that the club would officially retire Johnson's number 47 jersey in a ceremony before their home Elite League game against the Fife Flyers on December 14 that year. His jersey was the seventh to be retired by the Panthers. ==Legacy, aftermath, and push for extra protection==