Man in Newport 'armed' clash is critically ill
A man is critically ill in hospital following a clash between two groups of men in Newport, believed to involve a weapon.
Armed police were called to Bank Street in St Julians on Monday after reports of conflict between men in two Audis.
A 37-year-old man was wounded in the leg and later collided with a van.
His condition deteriorated and he was taken to Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales. Six people have been arrested.
Gwent Police said they were investigating several linked incidents in the city. They were first contacted around 17:50 BST on Monday by people complaining of cars being driven erratically, an altercation between the cars' occupants and reports of a weapon.
Four men from Cardiff were in a white Audi and two men from Bristol were in a grey Audi.
Police were called to Bank Street where the clash took place and the 37-year-old was injured.
Both cars left the scene, and the grey Audi hit a Fiat car as it did so. The driver of the other car was not hurt.
Two men aged 20 and one aged 26 from Cardiff were later arrested. Two men aged 27 from Bristol were arrested when police stopped the grey Audi at junction 22 of the M4 on the English side of the Severn Crossing.
All were arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, possession of an offensive weapon, assault and possession of drugs with intent to supply.
Police said the fourth man in the white Audi was also involved in a collision with a van on Caerleon Road in an unrelated incident.
The extent of his injuries was not clear at the time but his condition deteriorated overnight and he was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.
It was also unclear how he suffered his initial leg injury, officers said.
The driver of the van, a 47-year-old man from Newport, has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving.
A weapon, believed to be a BB air gun, was recovered from Bank Street along with a quantity of drugs.
'Complex and fast-moving'
Det Supt Ian Roberts said: "We would like to reassure residents of Newport that this is an isolated incident and all of those arrested [following the Bank Street incident] are from outside the area.
"Officers are continuing to investigate the circumstances leading up to the incident and we are currently in the process of interviewing witnesses to find out what happened.
"Bank Street was cordoned off in order to conduct a search for evidence but it was apparent we were dealing with a complex and fast moving incident. We have put a team of detectives together to work on this enquiry headed by a senior detective."
He said neighbourhood officers were on patrol locally and urged anyone with information to speak to them or contact Gwent Police on 101.