Autopsy: Columbus goalie died of chest trauma

[bucolic_frolic]

Source: AP

A medical examiner in Michigan says an autopsy has determined that Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died of chest trauma from an errant fireworks mortar blast, and not a fall as authorities previously reported.

Police in Novi, Michigan, said the mortar-style firework tilted slightly and started to fire toward people nearby Sunday night. The 24-year-old Kivleniek was in a hot tub and tried to get clear with several other people, police Lt. Jason Meier said.

The fire department and EMTs got to the private home shortly after 10 p.m. and took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Meier said. The Oakland County Medical Examiner’s office reported preliminary autopsy results Monday afternoon.

Prior to the autopsy, police said Kivlenieks was believed to have slipped and hit his head on concrete while running from a malfunctioning firework.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/columbus-blue-jackets-matiss-kivlenieks-hockey-nhl-sports-032b8580cdc3cd53c4a950886714c6d2

[underpants]

1. WoW. What are the odds.

That’s horrible.

[sarisataka]

2. Tilted slightly

Would not result in it firing at chest level

I suspect there are more details to this story yet to be found and one of them will be 'alcohol was a factor'

[Iggo]

3. The first lie was to cover for the illegal fireworks.

We'll see what the second lie is covering for soon enough.

[Laffy Kat]

4. There better be a charge of manslaughter if that's the case.

At the very least as a negligent homicide.

[Calista241]

9. For what?

What if he bought the errant firework. He was clearly participating in the activity. Do we charge people for accidents now?

[The Wizard]

5. The fireworks fetish

has to stop. Veterans with combat related PTSD have a bad reaction, especially to exploding fireworks.

[Locrian]

6. I cant believe that some of these are legal

I used to like firecrackers etc when I was a teen. Occasionally someone would show up with a M80 (illegal). But nobody had the mortar stuff that is available now. And I'm talking the LEGAL ones that you can buy from the fireworks shops that are all over the place now.

I have no idea if the one that killed him was "legal" or not - but Im saying that there has been a huge increase in the level of danger that just seems to be accepted now.


I'm sure if someone (hello investigative journalists? anyone?) would follow the money it would make an interesting story on how we got to this level of in$anity .

[Lars39]

7. The ones with the deep "boom"?

I don't remember those either, and I grew up when m80s were available. I had those booming mortars going off about 2 houses down and 2 houses behind me for about 45 minutes straight. My heart was pounding hard.

[Ms. Toad]

12. Most of them aren't legal.

In order to buy them in Ohio, you have to certify that you are taking them out of state. Virtually none of them go out of state.

My BIL has put on a major fireworks display every year for as long as he's been my BIL (We're talking $2-5K worth). Completely illegal. He gets away with it because he invites the local police to attend.

[Locrian]

14. yep they have those - they tend to look the other way

Indiana here. We have those and the perfectly "legal" ones that are STILL extremely powerful.

They sell them in Ohio but you are supposed to take them out of state?! CraZy. I guess outsource the liability and responsibility...

[The Wizard]

10. A neighbor

lit 10 M50s all at once. It was 12:30. I was asleep. Most of the mortar attacks I experienced were between 11:30 and 12:30. This is taunting and terrorizing.

[LudwigPastorius]

11. Your neighbor's an asshole, but...

I have to say, I'd prefer someone setting off fireworks to emptying a clip into the air from their pistol...which was rampant in my old neighborhood and usually after the offenders had consumed a case of light beer.

[JI7]

13. They both suck and both are what selfish dumbfucks who need loud noises and to scare people to

entertain themselves do.

[BradBo]

8. I find it such an ironic way for him to die.

He spent his short career stopping rock hard, dangerous pucks traveling at over 100 mph. These NHL goalies are quick and tough, but he couldn’t stop this thing, no way. Fireworks have gotten much more deadly at the average user level.

[Boomerproud]

15. Sincere condolences to his family and friends.

😣

[ProfessorGAC]

16. Heard A Doctor On ESPN Radio...

...saying they found that the impact dislodged the heart & appeared to have torn the aorta off.
Plus, both lungs were collapsed.
He had to be a pretty close range to the launch point for that kind of damage!
People playing with explosives they don't understand is a horrible idea.