Arizona police shoot driver who crashed into charity bike ride

Image source, Show Low Police Department

Image caption, The cyclists were doing a 58-mile bike ride to raise money for a local school

A man in a pick-up truck drove into cyclists taking part in a charity bike ride in Arizona, leaving six of them in a critical condition.

The incident happened at about 07:25 (14:25 GMT) in Show Low, a city about 180 miles north-east of Phoenix.

Police said the suspect, described as a 35-year-old white male, fled the scene and was pursued by officers.

Police then shot him behind a hardware store over a mile away, leaving him in a critical but stable condition.

Kristine M Sleighter, a spokeswoman for the Show Low Police Department, told reporters: "Our community is shocked at this incident and our hearts and prayers are with the injured and their families at this time."

The department added that the Navajo County Sheriff's Office was assisting them, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety was investigating the shooting of the suspect.

Six cyclists were rushed to hospital after the crash, four of whom are in a critical condition, while the other two are critical but stable. Police said another two or three victims took themselves to hospital and are in a stable condition.

Local cycling shop owner Mike Godwin, who sponsored the race, told the New York Times that the group of cyclists who were hit by the vehicle were in the men's master class group, aged 55 and above.

The race, Bike the Bluff, is a 58-mile (93 km) cycle ride through eastern Arizona to raise money for Mountain Christian School, a religious primary school in Show Low.