The A73 motorway in Limburg was closed on Monday morning after police shot a man who tried to escape while being transported to a mental health facility.

The incident happened near Horst at around 3.45am, De Limburger reported. Police had pulled over to the hard shoulder after the man became violent towards the two officers in the car.

The man jumped out and tried to flee across the carriageway. One of the officers brought him down by shooting at him before other police arrived on the scene and overpowered him.

The man was being taken to a medical facility in Venray after he was taken into custody in Roermond on Sunday evening when he showed signs of disturbed behaviour. He is being treated in the Radboudumc hospital in Nijmegen.

The two officers in the car and another who was injured when the man was arrested in Roermond were taken to the Laurentius hospital in Roermond. Two of them have been discharged.

The A73 was closed in both directions between Zaarderheiken and Horst-Noord while investigators gathered evidence from the scene. Diversions via Eindhoven were complicated by the closure of the N271 due to flooding.

⛔ | De #A73 is in beide richtingen dicht vanwege politieonderzoek. In de richting van Nijmegen is de weg afgesloten tussen Zaarderheiken en Horst-Noord. Richting het zuiden tussen Horst-Noord en Horst. De afhandeling gaat naar verwachting tot 9:00 uur duren. (📷: archief) pic.twitter.com/AIcKlmkZAE

— Rijkswaterstaat Verkeersinformatie (@RWSverkeersinfo) July 19, 2021