An unidentified man trying to escape police shot himself on Friday during a national television programme after a car chase in Phoenix, Arizona. Fox News, which usually covers car chases, released a statement apologizing for broadcasting the violent scene, says the Associated Press.

Fox News was taken by surprise when an unidentified man put an end to his life after being chased by several police cars through the desert of Phoenix, Arizona. The images transmitted by Fox News displayed a man driving a crossover sedan at a very high speed. Once the man realized there was no other escape for him, he stopped the car, ran into the desert and shot himself in the head before police officers got to him.

The footage was recorded with the help of a live helicopter, so the rather unclear images enabled Fox News to dodge the critics that would have been made in relation to the displayed violent scenes. Anchorman Shepard Smith told viewers that the video has a 10-second delay, so it could be modified in case something goes wrong by the end of the chase. He apologized for the mistake they have made when the man shot himself. The clip was immediately interrupted, so viewers were unable to tell whether the man survived or not.

TV executives told the media that they did everything they could to avoid similar situations from taking place. He explained that the final sequence of the chase was broadcast because of a human error, but reassured everyone that such mistakes will not happen again in the future.

Fox News Channel has often been criticized for transmitting helicopter-recorded car chases picked up from their local affiliates. This strategy enables them to momentarily boost their ratings as people tune in to see how the car chases end. Critics urge Fox News Channel to put an end to these transmissions as they do not rise to the level of national news, but the television channel has ignored their requests until now.