US prisoner grabs guard's gun, flees

A prisoner in the US state of Virginia managed to escape from a hospital room early on Tuesday after grabbing a security guard's gun and running off in a hospital gown, authorities said.

There were two guards with him at the time, CNN reported citing police. One shot was fired when the prisoner, Wossen Assaye, overpowered one of the guards, Fairfax county police said.

Assaye was being held on federal charges of armed bank robbery. He was taken to the hospital for treatment after attempting to harm himself, police said. A private security company was hired to guard him.

Assaye was arrested last week and charged with multiple robberies that took place in the Northern Virginia area.

He was known as the "bicycle bandit" for how he allegedly made his escape after committing the robberies.