Police and coroner rule in the tragic fireworks death of Matiss Kivlenieks

The July 4th, 2021 death of Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks has been ruled accidental by Novi Michigan Police, meaning that no criminal charges will be filed and that the investigation is considered closed.

 The 24 year old Kivlenieks was at a 4th of July party at the home of Blue Jackets goaltending coach Manny Legace when he was struck in the chest by an errant fireworks mortar blast. The police report indicates that the firework tilted from the sky toward a group of people and that Kivlenieks tried to dodge the firework but was struck in the chest. He later died in hospital.

There was some belief that Legace may carry some culpability in this case, but today's ruling puts that to rest. And frankly, that's a good thing. By all accounts this was just an awful accident that no one at the time could have foreseen or prevented. Legace and Kivlenieks had a father/son type relationship and I'm sure there are very few people in Kivlenieks' life who have taken his death as he has. To punish Legace for Kivlenieks' death wouldn't have solved a damn thing.