WELLINGTON, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- A 49-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly stole a vehicle, struck and wounded three cyclists, and fatally attacked a dog during a series of violent incidents on Wednesday morning in New Zealand's largest city of Auckland, police said.
One of the injured cyclists was in a critical condition after the attacks in the suburb of Epsom, and charges were still being determined, police added.
According to Acting Detective Inspector Craig Bolton, police were called to reports of a serious assault at about 7 a.m. local time. The man allegedly assaulted a woman, causing bruising to her face, head and upper body, before stealing the vehicle of a passerby who had stopped to help her.
Police said the suspect then drove the stolen vehicle into several other vehicles before striking three cyclists. After the vehicle crashed, he approached a woman walking her dogs and violently killed one of the dogs at the scene.
The ambulance service said three cyclists were taken to hospital, including one in critical condition, one with serious injuries and one with moderate injuries. Two other people were treated at the scene, Radio New Zealand reported.
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour told Radio New Zealand that the incident was not believed to be a "premeditated terror-type attack" and it involved a person known to police for mental health illness. ■
