Man in police chase, shootout dies by self-inflicted gunshot

PURDY (AP) — Authorities say a gun battle between Washington State Troopers and a man in Purday, Washington, ended with man fatally shooting himself.

KOMO reports troopers tried to pull over a driver in a pickup truck for an unspecified reason in Bremerton just before 9 p.m. Thursday when he drove off, leading troopers on a brief chase.

During the chase the man eventually crashed and his truck rolled into a ditch in Purdy.

Authorities say the driver started firing at troopers when they approached the vehicle. Troopers returned fire. The medical examiner identified the driver Friday afternoon as Trevor Messenger. A preliminary ruling has found that Messinger died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.

Pierce County Sheriff's Department will investigate. No officers were injured.