Man arrested after slapping disabled woman on live TV

The assault occurred in the background of an unrelated broadcast on a local station

A man has been arrested after he was caught slapping a woman in a wheelchair during a live TV report.

The incident was captured on camera in the background of a local newscast outside a courthouse in Phoenix, Arizona on Monday.

Joe Dana from local station KPNX was reporting on an unrelated incident when the man stopped in plain sight of the broadcast.

Both TV station KPNX and the Phoenix Police Department were said to be inundated with questions and complaints. The station was forced to follow up the report with more information shortly afterwards as officers investigated the incident.

The man in question was revealed to be 60-year-old Randall Burgess and was arrested by police on suspicion of misdemeanour assault.

Burgess was reported to be in a relationship with the unnamed woman in the wheelchair.

Police said the couple both showed signs of intoxication, and the woman was largely incoherent when interviewed by officers.