British police have arrested 12 people as part of an investigation into the events leading up to a fatal crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough that killed seven people, including two police officers.
Cleveland Police said nine men and three women, aged between 19 and 61, were arrested on suspicion of offenses ranging from firearm possession to participating in the activities of an organized crime group.
The arrests are part of an ongoing investigation into what happened before the deadly collision.
Two police officers among seven killed
Police said PCs Matthew Blades, 37, and Tom Clough, 38, were killed when a Volkswagen Passat that had been pursued by police was driven the wrong way along a dual carriageway.
The Passat collided with a marked armed response police vehicle.
Five other people also died in the crash. They were identified as Cole Robert Worthy, 17; Theo Rae, 17; Makai Saddington, 18; Michael Robert Cahill, 23; and Jacob Matusiak, 23.
The crash occurred in the Teesside area early Saturday.
Investigation continues
Cleveland Police have not publicly disclosed all the circumstances surrounding the arrests or provided further details about the individual allegations against each person.
The offenses under investigation include possession of a firearm and suspected participation in the activities of an organized crime group.
Because the investigation remains active, further details may emerge as police establish what led to the pursuit and subsequent collision.
What happens next
Police are continuing their investigation into the crash and the events that preceded it.
The 12 people arrested are suspects, and an arrest does not mean that any individual has been charged or found guilty of an offense.
More information is expected as investigators establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the seven victims, including the two serving police officers.
This is a developing story and may be updated as more information becomes available.
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