Several cyclists were injured in the early hours of a championship bike race in east central Arizona after being plowed into them by a pickup truck driver for no known reason.
“Mass accident at Show Low near Downtown 9,” paramedics said on Facebook. “Be extremely careful around the area. Multiple ground and air resources on site. “
Show Low is located in Navajo County, Arizona and is home to the 13th annual Bike the Bluff Arizona State Championship Road Race.
According to the Show Low Police Department, a black Ford F-150 Super Duty hit several cyclists outside the Horne Auto Collision Center at around 7:25 a.m. on Saturday.
“The suspect then fled the scene with the vehicle,” wrote the SLPD in a press release published on Facebook. “Officials tried to stop the suspect, which ultimately resulted in the suspect being shot.”
Almost 300 cyclists have registered for the event; It is currently not known how many were actually hit by the truck driver.
At least six victims were taken to a nearby hospital by employees of the Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District. Four of these victims are said to be in critical condition; two are considered critical but stable. A seventh victim was flown from the scene of the crime to a hospital in Phoenix, nearly 300 kilometers away, according to police.
Two others were slightly injured by the truck and made it to the local hospital as walk-ins.
The driver is said to be a 35-year-old white man. According to the police, he is currently in a critical but stable condition.
“Our community is shocked by this incident and our hearts and prayers are with the injured and their families at this time,” said SLPD spokesman Kristine Sleighter said in a statement received from Phoenix-based Fox subsidiary KSAZ.
The authorities initially changed the public to the incident in a “community warning” posted on Twitter.
“The west-facing lanes of HWY 60 in front of the Horne Auto Collision Center are closed due to an incident between the vehicle and the cyclist with multiple injuries,” tweeted the SLPD. “PLEASE avoid the area so that first responders can complete their tasks. Further information will follow upon receipt. “
A follow-up tweet forwarded those interested to the department’s Facebook page.
The latest update from the authorities doesn’t include much additional information about the suspect or the victims, but it does thank those who helped respond to the chaos:
Thank you to all the first responders who supported us [sic] during this shocking incident. Many thanks also to all citizens who have offered their help so generously. Please continue to monitor our Facebook page for updates. We know everyone is looking for more details about today’s incident. Rest assured, we will share information as soon as available. Please include all sacrifices in your prayers.
The incident is being investigated by the SLPD, the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
The driver was eventually shot dead behind an ACE hardware store in the area. The police did not provide any further information beyond the shooting of the suspect.
A motive for the vehicle craze has not yet been clarified.
This is a developing story.
[image via Show Low Police Department]
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